Thornden Park

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Thornden Park
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Thornden Park's main entrance at the intersection of Ostrom Avenue, Madison Street, and Comstock Place
Thornden Park's main entrance at the intersection of Ostrom Avenue, Madison Street, and Comstock Place
Location: Syracuse, New York
Built/Founded: 1875
Architect: William Harradance; et al.
Added to NRHP: December 29, 1994
NRHP Reference#: 94001490[1]
MPS: Historic Designed Landscapes of Syracuse MPS
Governing body: Local

Thornden Park is the second-largest park in Syracuse, New York, after Burnet Park. It is located in Westcott, and borders the University Neighborhood and University Hill neighborhoods. It comprises 76 acres (308,000 m²).

Contents

[edit] History

Thornden Park began as a farm owned by Zebulon Ostrom, who sold it to a wealthy salt miner named James P. Haskins around 1850. In 1921 the city made the land a park. During the 1960s, however, budget-cuts threatened the cleanliness of the park, a threat that was countered by neighborhood initiatives. The 1970s brought the Dutch Elm Disease, which killed approximately 600 elm trees in the park. Maple trees were planted as replacements. The Thornden Park Association was founded in 1983 to advocate for, restore and revitalize the park. One of the more popular attractions in the park is the E. M. Mills Memorial Rose Garden, dedicated in 1924 on two acres at the southwest entrance to the park, across Ostrom Avenue from Syracuse University. Since 1970, the Syracuse Rose Society has maintained the garden in cooperation with the City of Syracuse Department of Parks. Currently, the garden hosts 368 different varieties of roses (3850 plants in all) that surround a central gazebo.[citation needed].

[edit] Features

  • Swimming pool (50 meters)
  • One multi-purpose field
  • Five tennis courts
  • Three basketball courts
  • Playground
  • Fitness trail
  • E.M. Mills Memorial Rose Garden
  • Outdoor amphitheatre
  • Lily pond

[edit] References

  1. ^ National Register Information System. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service (2007-01-23).

[edit] External links

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