Glen Island Park
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Long Island Sound |
| Coordinates | 40°53′07″N 73°47′02″W / 40.8852°N 73.7838°WCoordinates: 40°53′07″N 73°47′02″W / 40.8852°N 73.7838°W |
| Area | 105 acres (42 ha) |
| Country | |
|
United States | |
| State | New York |
| County | Westchester County |
| City | New Rochelle |
Glen Island Park is a 105-acre (0.42 km2) park, located on Glen Island, on the Long Island Sound, New York. The park is owned and operated by Westchester County and shares the island with a privately operated but county-owned entertainment facility, the Glen Island Harbour Club (formerly the Glen Island Casino).[1]
History
Starin's Glen Island
In 1879 former U.S. Congressman John H. Starin bought Glen Island and four nearby islands. He gave Glen Island its name and converted the islands into a summer resort for city dwellers that has been called "the first theme park."[2] The islands were connected by causeways and piers and each island featured a different international theme.[3] Steamships transported visitors from New York City to the park.[4] The park, which opened in 1881, attracted thousands of people daily, included among its attractions a bathing beach, a natural history museum, a zoo, A German beer garden and castle, musical entertainment, and a Chinese pagoda.[2][5]
In 1923 Westchester County acquired the site, which is now a public recreational park.[3]
References
- ↑ "Glen Island Park". Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation & Conservation. Archived from the original on 2008-07-22. Retrieved 2009-04-07. and "Glen Island Park". Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation & Conservation. Retrieved 2010-10-14.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 New Rochelle History: 1861-1879 timeline, City of New Rochelle website
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Futrell, Jim (2006). Amusement Parks of New York. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. p. 24. ISBN 0-8117-3262-2. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
- ↑ The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography 2. New York: J.T. White. 1892. p. 20. OCLC 754555174. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
- ↑ "Starin's Glen Island: Enhanced Attractions of a Famous Resort" (PDF). The New York Times. July 18, 1897. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Glen Island. |
