“A romance.” That’s how American author Nathaniel Hawthorne described his book “The House of the Seven Gables.” Fittingly, it’s also how we might describe the delightful Seven Gables Playground right here in Queens.
Seven Gables Playground gets its name from Hawthorne’s novel. The nearby J.H.S. 74 is named after the author. Parks officials chose the name to honor Hawthorne’s work. He published “The House of the Seven Gables” in 1851. This was just a year after “The Scarlet Letter.”
Hawthorne wanted readers to look beyond realism. He wanted to explore abstract truths. “The House of the Seven Gables” explores the past and the present. It tells the story of a house and its inhabitants.
In the novel, Colonel Pyncheon builds the seven-gabled house. He acquires the land by persecuting its rightful owner. The wronged man curses the Colonel and his descendants. Strange deaths occur. Eventually, wrongs are righted. The Pyncheons inherit another estate. The curse is demystified. Love blossoms and property is restored.
This Seven Gables Playground itself has an interesting history. It sits at a level below the street. Ramps provide access. Basketball courts stand next to the school. A fence and oak trees separate them from the playground. Swings hang between the trees. A flagpole marks the center. Climbing equipment offers play spaces for different ages. Toddler swings sit at the far end.
Originally, this land was part of Cunningham Park. In 1944, Oceania Street was built. It divided the two spaces. In 1952, the city built the school and Seven Gables Playground. Although separated, Seven Gables Playground remains part of Cunningham Park.
Louis Risse drafted a map of Greater New York in 1900. He proposed connecting the boroughs with parks and boulevards. The city gradually acted on Risse’s proposals. This included creating a park here. Land was acquired between 1928 and 1944.
The first automobile highway in the United States was incorporated into Cunningham Park. William K. Vanderbilt Jr. built it as a toll road in 1908. It closed in 1938. It became a tree-lined path. Walkers and cyclists now use the former Motor Parkway. For years, the Departments of Sanitation and Transportation used part of the park for vehicle parking. This ended in 1986. The area was restored as playing fields.
Seven Gables Playground offers a space for play and recreation. It’s a place where children can create their own stories. It offers a bit of green space in the city. Just like Hawthorne’s novel, Seven Gables Playground connects us to the past and present.