Long before slides and swings marked this spot, the Lenape people knew this land. Now, let’s talk about Mott Haven Playground. This place offers a space for laughter today, but its roots run deep into the history of the Bronx.
Mott Haven’s story is intertwined with that of Jordan L. Mott. He was an inventor and entrepreneur. In the 1840s, he purchased 200 acres of land in lower Morrisania. Mott established his iron works along the Harlem River. That area became known as Mott Haven.
Before Mott, the Morris family owned much of this land. Richard and Lewis Morris acquired it in 1670. They were merchants from Barbados. Alexander Avenue is thought to be named after Alexander Bathgate. He was the overseer of the Morris manor.
In the 1880s, Mott Haven transformed. Commuter train service arrived. The Third Avenue El and the New York Central Railroad made stops here. The area around 138th Street quickly urbanized. Fancy brownstones and tenements sprung up.
By the 1970s, many buildings in Mott Haven faced demolition. Urban disinvestment and arson took their toll. Failed public policies made things worse.
NYC Parks acquired Brook Park in 1979. This happened through the South Bronx Neighborhood Open Space Development Project. A coalition of neighborhood groups formed the South Bronx Open Space Task Force. They aimed to green the environment. They also wanted to expand recreational facilities.
In 1993, the park expanded. A vacant lot became part of it. There was consideration of building a new police precinct. But, in the end, the space went to the Parks Department.
Today, Friends of Brook Park Community Garden thrive here. Volunteers cultivate plants. They care for chickens. They host student group visits.
Brook Park and Brook Avenue get their names from Mill Brook. This stream once flowed through the neighborhood. The Lenape called it Acrahung. It divided the lands of the Bathgate and Morris families.
Mott Haven faced challenges in the late 20th century. The South Bronx earned a reputation for decline. But local people created opportunity amid loss. They built community gardens in vacant lots. They turned vacant buildings into low-income co-ops.
Mott Haven Playground stands as a testament to community resilience. It represents rebirth. It’s a place where kids can play. It is also a reminder of the neighborhood’s rich history.