Three acres of untouched woods. That’s all Northerleigh Park was in 1907. Purchased from the National Prohibition Park Company it remained largely undeveloped for sixty years. Imagine the quiet solitude. The rustling leaves. The whispering wind through the trees.
Northerleigh Park sits in the heart of Westerleigh Staten Island. Its history is intertwined with the neighborhood’s unique past. Westerleigh itself was once the headquarters of the National Prohibition Party. This 19th-century group vehemently opposed alcohol. Their summer retreat slowly transformed into the residential neighborhood we see today.
The park wasn’t always called Northerleigh Park. It began as North Avenue Park. Commissioner Henry J Stern renamed it in 1996. The name reflects the surrounding neighborhood. The park’s transformation didn’t happen overnight. In the 1960s a local group the Westerleigh Little Guys & Gals built a baseball field. This field became Charles J McClaughry Sr Memorial Field in 1999. McClaughry a Staten Island native founded the Little Guys & Gals. He lived just behind the park. His legacy lives on in the park’s heart.
Street rearrangements in 1986 added about half an acre. The park gained more land than it lost. Extensive renovations followed in 1989. New fences sidewalks security lights and drinking fountains improved the park. The baseball field was upgraded too.
Today Northerleigh Park isn’t just a baseball field. It is a tranquil urban oasis. It provides a serene escape from city life. Walkers runners and baseball players all enjoy the park. Squirrels rabbits birds and even deer roam its grounds. It’s a place where nature and community coexist. A testament to the enduring spirit of Westerleigh and its cherished Northerleigh Park.