Imagine, if you will, a bustling Dutch farm in the heart of what is now New York City. That farm belonged to none other than Peter Stuyvesant. Today we find ourselves at Stuyvesant Square.
Stuyvesant Square offers a glimpse into the city’s rich past. It is a testament to the vision of a man and the evolution of a neighborhood. This park is more than just a green space. It is a historic landmark bisected by Second Avenue between East 15th and East 17th Streets.
Peter Stuyvesant known as “Old Silver Nails” directed the Dutch colony of New Netherlands. His farm stretched from East 10th to East 23rd Street and from First to Fourth Avenue. It was a pastoral landscape far removed from the settlement at the Battery.
In 1836 Peter Gerard Stuyvesant the great-great-grandson of Peter Stuyvesant sold four acres to New York City. The token price was five dollars. There was a condition. The city had to build a fence around the park. It was originally to be called Holland Square.
The city was slow to act. The Stuyvesant family sued to enforce the fence requirement. Finally in 1847 the city began construction. The cast-iron fence still stands today. It is the oldest in New York City. The park officially opened to the public in 1850. Peter Gerard Stuyvesant had passed away three years prior.
In the early 1900s Stuyvesant Square was a fashionable address. The Stuyvesant Building housed prominent figures. These included publisher George Putnam and Harper’s Bazaar editor Elizabeth Jordan. The widow of General George Armstrong Custer also resided here.
Several hospitals were once located near Stuyvesant Square. The New York Infirmary for Women and Children was founded by Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell. The New York Lying-In Hospital stood on Second Avenue.
In the 1930s Stuyvesant Square Park was renovated. Parks Commissioner Robert Moses oversaw the changes. Gilmore D. Clarke redesigned the park. Comfort stations and playgrounds were added. The park reopened in 1937.
Restorations in the 1980s revitalized the park. The 1884 fountains were restored. The cast-iron fence was preserved. Original bluestone sidewalks were relaid. Lawns shrubs and flower beds were renovated.
Today Stuyvesant Square boasts notable statues. Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney’s Peter Stuyvesant statue stands here. Ivan Mestrovic’s Antonín Dvořák statue is another highlight.
The park also features diverse flora. English elms and little-leaf linden trees flourish. In honor of the Stuyvesants’ Dutch heritage tulips are planted. The Manhattan tulip is a relatively new cultivar.
Stuyvesant Square is surrounded by significant landmarks. St. George’s Episcopal Church and the Friends Meeting House are nearby. Beth Israel Medical Center is located on the eastern side.
The Stuyvesant Square Historic District was designated in 1975. The Friends Meeting House St. George’s and Stuyvesant High School are landmarks. Three Italianate brick row houses also contribute to the district’s charm.
As you stroll through Stuyvesant Square take a moment to appreciate its history. Picture the Dutch farm that once occupied this land. Consider the prominent figures who called this neighborhood home. Stuyvesant Square is a testament to New York City’s ever-evolving story.