Hermon A MacNeil Park

Did you ever hear of a park named after a sculptor? Right here in College Point, Queens, stands Hermon A MacNeil Park. It’s a sprawling 29-acre waterfront haven. Hermon A MacNeil Park offers breathtaking views of the East River, Long Island Sound, the Whitestone Bridge, and even the Manhattan skyline. The park is a popular spot for everyone. Walkers, runners, cyclists, families, and fishermen all enjoy this beautiful space. Majestic trees fill Hermon A MacNeil Park. You’ll find Littleleaf Linden, Pine, Sassafras, Sycamore, Horse Chestnut, Gingko, Maple, and more. There’s a rebuilt waterfront esplanade, a kayak launch, a baseball field, basketball and handball courts, a playground, and a September 11th Memorial Tree Grove. Hermon A MacNeil Park has a fascinating history, deeply intertwined with College Point itself. The land was originally purchased in 1835 by Rev. Dr. William Augustus Muhlenberg. He intended to build an Episcopal seminary. However, the financial panic of 1837 forced him to abandon those plans. A wooden frame building was erected instead. This became St. Paul’s College, the namesake of College Point. It opened in 1839 but closed a mere ten years later. In 1848, a stone mansion was built on the highest point of the grounds. This wasn’t for the seminary though. Rev. Muhlenberg’s sister, Mary Rogers, built it as a wedding gift for her daughter, Mary, who married William F. Chisolm. The park was long known as “Chisolm’s Park.” Many long-time College Point residents still call it that. In 1930, the City of New York purchased the mansion and surrounding 28 acres from the Rogers family. This marked the creation of Hermon A MacNeil Park. In 1937, Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia used the Chisholm mansion as his summer City Hall. He conducted city business from the shores of the East River. The mansion was demolished in 1941. A flagpole now marks its location. Hermon A MacNeil was a renowned American sculptor. His home and studio were next to the park. In 1966, the park was renamed in his honor on the centennial of his birth. It was the first local law signed by Mayor John V. Lindsay. You can find MacNeil’s sculptures throughout New York City. Look for them at the Poppenhusen Institute in College Point, on the Washington Square Park arch, and at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.