Thomas Jefferson Park

Not to be confused with Jefferson Park (disambiguation).

Thomas Jefferson Park
Type	Urban park
Location	East Harlem, Manhattan, New York City
Coordinates	40°47′36″N73°56′07″W / 40.79333°N 73.93528°W / 40.79333; -73.93528
Area	15.52 acres (6.28 ha)
Created	1902
Operated by	NYC Parks
Public transit access	Subway : ​ to 110th Street Bus : M15, M15 SBS, M116 [1]
New York City Landmark
Designated	July 24, 2007 [2]
Reference no.	2236 [2]
Designated entity	Bathhouse facade and pool

Thomas Jefferson Park is a 15.52-acre (6.28 ha) public park in the East Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. The park is on First Avenue between 111th and 114th Streets. It contains a playground as well as facilities for baseball, basketball, football, handball, running, skating, and soccer. The Thomas Jefferson Play Center within the park consists of a recreation center and a pool. The park and play center, named for former U.S. president Thomas Jefferson, are maintained by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC Parks).

The land for the park was acquired starting in 1897. Though the park opened in 1902, the first recreational facilities did not open until 1905. The pool and bathhouse was designed by Stanley C. Brogren during a Works Progress Administration project in 1935–1936, while a playground next to the adjacent Benjamin Franklin High School opened in 1942. The pool was extensively refurbished in 1992, followed by the park in 1994. The Thomas Jefferson Play Center was designated a city landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in 2007.

Description

Thomas Jefferson Park is in the East Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It is bounded by 111th Street to the south, First Avenue to the west, 114th Street to the north, and the FDR Drive to the east. ^{[3] [4]} Thomas Jefferson Park covers 15.52 acres (6.28 ha). ^[5] Two paths cross the park from west to east at approximately 112th and 113th Streets, dividing the park roughly into thirds. These pathways contain benches, trees, and cast-iron lamps. ^[6]

The southern pathway contains a steel sculpture, Tomorrow's Wind, by sculptor Mel Edwards. The 13.5-foot-tall (4.1 m) sculpture, installed in 1995 as a site-specific artwork, ^[7] consists of an oval disk adjacent to a shape resembling a crescent. ^{[6] [7] [8]} The northern pathway contains a steel-and-bronze sculpture, El Arbol de Esperanza (Tree of Hope), by L. Brower Hatcher. The 18-foot-tall (5.5 m) work, dedicated in 1995, consists of a tree trunk topped by a globe with bronze figures created by local children. ^{[9] [10]} Despite being named for former U.S. president Thomas Jefferson, the park does not have a Jefferson sculpture. ^[11]

Recreational facilities

The running track and the soccer field at Thomas Jefferson Park

Thomas Jefferson Park contains two playgrounds. One is on First Avenue and 111th Street. at the southwestern corner, while the other is at Pleasant Avenue and 114th Street, at the northeastern corner. ^[12] There are also three baseball fields: two in the southern third of the park, and the third at the eastern boundary of the park's center third. In addition, there are four basketball courts, two each at the northeastern and southeastern corners. The northeastern corner also contains two volleyball and eight handball courts, while the northwestern corner contains a soccer field. ^[13] A dog run is at the southeast corner of the park. ^[14]

The Thomas Jefferson Pool is in the center third of the park and is oriented west–east, with two pools ^{[15] [16]} (formerly three). ^[17] The main pool measures 100 feet (30 m) wide and 246 feet (75 m) long, ^{[17] [18] [a]} with a depth of 4 feet (1.2 m). ^[19] The wading pool measures 100 feet (30 m) wide and 51 feet (16 m) long. ^{[17] [18]} The pool area contains fountains at its western and eastern ends. ^{[16] [20]} The main pool contains two water circulation fountains at its center. ^{[15] [16]} The diving pool had seven diving boards, of which one was a high board, ^[20] but when it was converted to a wading pool in 1992, the diving boards were removed. ^[15] The main and diving pools collectively held 1,080,000 U.S. gallons (4,100,000 L; 900,000 imp gal). An NYC Parks press release from 1936 indicates that, when the pool was completed, there was another wading pool measuring 100 by 60 feet (30 by 18 m). ^[17] According to contemporary sources, the pools had a capacity of 1,450 swimmers when built, ^{[17] [21]} though the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission cites a figure of 2,600 swimmers. ^[20] The pools are separated by a 10-foot-wide (3.0 m) deck with a wrought-iron fence. North and south of the pool area, there is terrace seating slightly raised above the main deck. ^[22]

Recreation center

Thomas Jefferson Play Center

The recreation center, originally the bathhouse, is a U-shaped brick structure, with a main entrance facing west on First Avenue between 112th and 113th Streets. ^{[6] [16]} The main entrance is through a central pavilion that is curved slightly outward. ^[15] The entrance pavilion consists of a small stoop with ramps on either side. ^[6] The entrance is 45 feet (14 m) wide and contains four concrete columns supporting the top of the pavilion, where bronze letters with the words thomas jefferson play center are mounted. The central pavilion is enclosed by a glass block wall behind the columns. ^[15] but was originally open to the outdoors, with only a freestanding ticket booth. ^{[15] [16]} Similar glass block walls and columns face east toward the pool. The pavilion is topped by a concrete parapet and string courses. ^[15]

The main entrance is flanked by two L-shaped wings, which extend east around the pool area. ^{[16] [18]} The northern wing was designed with locker and restroom facilities for women, while the southern wing was designed with facilities for men. ^{[18] [21]} The recreation center also contains a fitness room, afterschool room, media lab, and multipurpose room. ^[23] The outer facades of both wings are grouped into vertical bays. Each bay contains square hopper windows, which only illuminate the top portions of the facade, as well as raised brick swags above the windows. Each bay is separated by stone pilasters topped by stone medallions. The corners of each wing are hexagonal. The pool area has a similar design to the outer facades. ^[15]

Architectural critic Lewis Mumford called the recreation center's design an instance of "sound vernacular modern architecture", but criticized its classical features, which were meant to be a tribute to the park's namesake. ^{[24] [25]} The recreation center was also praised for using "simple materials simply disposed". ^[24]

History

Early history

The New York City Board of Aldermen first devised plans in 1894 for Thomas Jefferson Park, to be built in Italian Harlem. The city acquired the land for the park starting in 1897. ^{[5] [26]} Samuel Parsons was involved with the initial design. ^[26] An early plan for the park called for an artificial lake and marble cottage to be built in the park. ^[27] The recreational facilities also included a 200-by-60-foot (61 by 18 m) pier on the nearby Harlem River, which opened in 1899. ^[28] The development of the park was intended to help Italian Harlem, which the Brooklyn Daily Eagle described as "for many years the black spot of Harlem"; the existing buildings on the park's site were demolished in mid-1899. ^[29] By the end of that year, the last buildings on the site were being demolished. ^[30] The last lots, acquired from the Consolidated Gas Company, had been delayed due to disputes over compensation. ^[31]

Children learning farming

The park opened on July 12, 1902; at the time, the site was undeveloped, and only nine acres (3.6 ha) of the fifteen-acre (6.1 ha) site was accessible to the public. ^{[32] [33]} A $150,000 contract to construct the park was awarded early the next year. ^[34] Among the improvements being planned for the park was a classical pavilion. ^[35] During construction, Thomas Jefferson Park hosted a ceremony in July 1904 where Archbishop John Murphy Farley, with permission from Pope Pius X, approved the Canonical coronation of an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the nearby Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church. ^[36] Work on the improvements was completed by February 1905. ^[37]

The recreation facilities in Thomas Jefferson Park opened on October 7, 1905, with a ceremony attended by several thousand people. ^{[38] [39]} The park had cost $3 million to build, or about $4.46 per square foot ($48.0/m²). The high cost mostly came from the $2.7 million cost of land acquisition and was attributed to the existing density of East Harlem. There were initially separate facilities for boys and girls; each had a gymnasium, running track, playground, and shower area. ^{[40] [41]} The New York Sun called Thomas Jefferson Park "the first playground in the world that has a running track for girls". ^[40] There was also a classical-style pavilion. ^{[5] [26] [42]} A "farm garden", with over a thousand plots for children, was added in May 1911. ^{[43] [44]} The farm gardens, taking up 2 acres (0.81 ha), ^[45] were used to teach children horticultural skills. ^{[5] [46]} A grove of trees, dedicated to veterans killed in World War I, was placed at First Avenue and 113th Street in 1923. ^[47] By the 1930s, neighborhood children preferred to play in the street rather than at the park. ^[42]

Works Progress Administration renovations

In 1934, mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia nominated Robert Moses to become commissioner of a unified New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. At the time, the United States was experiencing the Great Depression; immediately after La Guardia won the 1933 election, Moses began to write "a plan for putting 80,000 men to work on 1,700 relief projects". ^{[48] [49]} By the time he was in office, several hundred such projects were underway across the city. ^[50]

Moses was especially interested in creating new pools and other bathing facilities, such as those in Jacob Riis Park, Jones Beach, and Orchard Beach. ^{[51] [52]} He devised a list of 23 pools around the city, including one at Thomas Jefferson Park. ^{[53] [54]} The pools would be built using funds from the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a federal agency created as part of the New Deal to combat the Depression's negative effects. ^{[51] [55]} Eleven of these pools were to be designed concurrently and open in 1936. Moses, along with architects Aymar Embury II and Gilmore David Clarke, created a common design for these proposed aquatic centers. Each location was to have distinct pools for diving, swimming, and wading; bleachers and viewing areas; and bathhouses with locker rooms that could be used as gymnasiums. The pools were to have several common features, such as a minimum 55-yard (50 m) length, underwater lighting, heating, filtration, and low-cost construction materials. To fit the requirement for cheap materials, each building would be built using elements of the Streamline Moderne and Classical architectural styles. The buildings would also be near "comfort stations", additional playgrounds, and spruced-up landscapes. ^{[56] [57] [58]}

Construction for some of the 11 pools began in October 1934. ^{[59] [60]} Embury filed plans for a bathhouse and swimming pool at Thomas Jefferson Park in August 1935, ^[61] but the actual design of the pool and bathhouse has been attributed to Stanley C. Brogren. ^{[4] [62] [b]} The next month, La Guardia presided over the opening of the northern playground, which contained athletic fields, a wading pool, and children's play equipment. ^{[63] [64]} The southern playground opened that November, with shuffleboard, bocce, and horseshoe courts. ^{[65] [66]} Many of the original park features were replaced with New Deal-era designs, ^[20] and upon La Guardia's request, bocce courts were added to the design. ^{[24] [67]} By mid-1936, ten of the eleven WPA-funded pools were completed and were being opened at a rate of one per week. ^[51] The pool was the second pool to open, ^{[60] [68] [c]} with a ceremony taking place on June 27, 1936. ^{[69] [70]} A playground in the northeast section of the park, near the Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics (at the time known as the Benjamin Franklin High School), was completed in 1942. ^{[5] [71]}

While there were many black and Hispanic residents near Thomas Jefferson Park, ^[72] its pool was used mostly by white residents of Italian Harlem, while black and Hispanic residents mostly used Harlem's other pool at Colonial Park. ^{[73] [74]} According to Moses biographer Robert Caro, close associates of Moses had claimed they could keep African Americans from using the Thomas Jefferson Pool by making the water too cold. ^{[75] [76]} However, no other source backs the claim that the Thomas Jefferson Pool had different heating equipment from any other pool. ^[42] As with all of the city's other WPA pools, diesel motors were used to pump water into the pool, and excess heat from these motors was used to keep the water warm. ^[21] Caro also wrote that predominantly white lifeguards were hired at Thomas Jefferson Park, ^[72] although it is unclear whether Moses did this on purpose. ^[74] In any case, black and Hispanic residents often faced violence if they tried to swim at Thomas Jefferson Pool or visit the park in general. ^[77] In subsequent years, the Italian population of the area decreased, while the black and Hispanic population increased. ^[78]

Decline and restoration

During the late 20th century, the park grew decrepit. The bathhouse, used during the winter as a gathering place for elderly men, was rundown by 1966, with faulty heaters and rotting roof beams. ^[79] Part of the bathhouse was destroyed in an electrical fire in 1973, ^{[80] [81]} and the original classical style pavilion was destroyed in the 1970s due to vandalism. ^{[5] [26]} The park had been the site of several killings, including a gang beating in 1958 ^[82] and a shooting in 1974. ^[83] By the 1970s, Thomas Jefferson Park and other city parks were in poor condition following the 1975 New York City fiscal crisis. NYC Parks commenced a project to restore the pools in several parks in 1977, including at Thomas Jefferson Park, for whose restoration the agency set aside an estimated $2.9 million. ^[15] These projects were not carried out due to a lack of money. By March 1981, NYC Parks had only 2,900 employees in its total staff, less than 10 percent of the 30,000 present when Moses was parks commissioner. ^{[15] [84]} Starting in the early 1970s, a group of "junior lifeguards" was hired to keep the pools and bathhouse clean. ^[85] During this era, Thomas Jefferson Pool employed the first female lifeguard at any NYC Parks facility. ^[74] According to landscape designer Lynden B. Miller, the park received a large number of plantings in the mid-1980s, but they died off due to a lack of maintenance. ^[86]

NYC Parks continued to face financial shortfalls in the coming years, and the pools retained a reputation for high crime. ^[62] For the summer of 1991, mayor David Dinkins had planned to close all 32 outdoor pools in the city, a decision that was only reversed after a $2 million donation from a trust created upon the death of real estate developer Sol Goldman ^[87] and $1.8 million from other sources. ^[62] Additionally, in the 1990s, a practice called "whirlpooling" became common in New York City pools such as Thomas Jefferson Park, wherein women would be inappropriately fondled by teenage boys. ^{[88] [89]} By the turn of the century, crimes such as sexual assaults had decreased in parks citywide due to increased security. ^[62]

Thomas Jefferson Park received an extensive renovation in the early 1990s, funded by a $10.5 million capital expenditure. Richard Dattner was hired to renovate the pool and bathhouse. ^{[5] [62]} As part of the project, the diving pool was converted into a wading pool. ^[20] The pool project was completed in January 1992 for $8.5 million. ^[90] The renovation of the park grounds was estimated to cost $2.6 million, but the winning contractor submitted a bid that was $1 million lower. ^[91] The grounds renovation was completed in 1994 and the two artworks were installed the following year, ^{[5] [62]} In 1999, a reporter for The New York Times wrote that the pool had a "distinctly Latin flavor", with many of its visitors being Puerto Rican or Mexican. ^[92] A synthetic turf soccer field was installed in the park in 2003. ^[93]

In 2007, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the Thomas Jefferson Pool and Play Center as a landmark. ^{[3] [94]} The commission had previously considered the pool for landmark status in 1990, along with the other ten WPA pools in the city. ^{[95] [96]} The soccer field was temporarily closed in 2008 and 2009 following the discovery of high lead concentrations. ^{[97] [98]} Thomas Jefferson Park's skatepark opened in 2017 on the site of a former empty field. ^{[99] [100]} Thomas Jefferson Playground was reconstructed starting in 2019 and reopened in March 2021. ^{[101] [102]}

See also

• List of New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan above 110th Street

References

Notes

1. Dimensions of the main pool are alternatively given as 97 by 239 feet (30 by 73 m). ^[19]
2. Alternatively spelled Brogen ^[24]
3. The pools opened in the following chronological order: Hamilton Fish Park, Thomas Jefferson Park, Astoria Park, Tompkinsville Pool, Highbridge Park, Sunset Park, Crotona Park, McCarren Park, Betsy Head Park, Colonial Park, and Red Hook Park. ^{[56] [68]}

Citations

1. "Manhattan Bus Map" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. July 2019. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
2. Landmarks Preservation Commission 2007, p. 1.
3. Diamonstein-Spielvogel, Barbaralee (2011). The Landmarks of New York (5th ed.). Albany, New York: State University of New York Press. p. 638. ISBN   978-1-4384-3769-9.
4. White, Norval; Willensky, Elliot; Leadon, Fran (2010). AIA Guide to New York City (5th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 552. ISBN   978-0-19538-386-7.
5. "Thomas Jefferson Park Highlights". New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Archived from the original on January 15, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
6. Landmarks Preservation Commission 2007 , p. 9.
7. "Tomorrow's Wind". New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Archived from the original on January 16, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
8. Brenson, Michael (March 8, 1991). "Review/Art; Sculpture Borne by the Earth and Lighted by the Sky" . The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on June 22, 2018. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
9. "El Arbol de Esperanza". New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Archived from the original on January 14, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
10. Heartney, E.; Heiferman, M.; Gopnik, A.; Bloomberg, M.; Allee, D.S. (2005). City Art: New York's Percent for Art Program. Merrell. p. 141. ISBN   978-1-85894-290-2. Archived from the original on January 14, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
11. Pollak, Michael (May 22, 2015). "A Pioneer Aviator, and a Park Without Its Eponym" . The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on January 13, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
12. "Thomas Jefferson Park Playgrounds". New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Archived from the original on January 15, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
13. "Field and Court Usage Report for Thomas Jefferson Park". New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Archived from the original on April 23, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
14. "Thomas Jefferson Park Dog-friendly Areas". New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Archived from the original on January 15, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
15. Landmarks Preservation Commission 2007 , p. 10.
16. Gutman 2008 , p. 541.
17. "Mayor LaGuardia, Park Commissioner Robert Moses and other officials will participate in ceremonies Saturday, June 27th at 11:30 A.M..." (PDF) (Press release). New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. June 25, 1936. PDF p. 10. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
18. Landmarks Preservation Commission 2007 , pp. 8–9.
19. Rein, Lisa (June 30, 1999). "Taking the plunge". New York Daily News. p. 164. Archived from the original on May 9, 2022. Retrieved January 17, 2021– via newspapers.com .
20. Landmarks Preservation Commission 2007 , p. 8.
21. Gutman 2008 , p. 540.
22. Landmarks Preservation Commission 2007 , pp. 9–10.
23. "Thomas Jefferson Recreation Center". New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Archived from the original on January 14, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
24. Gutman 2008 , p. 539.
25. Mumford, Lewis (October 24, 1936). "The Sky Line: Parks and Playgrounds—New Buildings for Old" . The New Yorker. Vol. 12. Archived from the original on January 18, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
26. Landmarks Preservation Commission 2007 , p. 2.
27. "Untitled". New-York Tribune. July 22, 1901. p. 6. Archived from the original on May 10, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2021– via newspapers.com .
28. "Harlem and the Bronx". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. May 24, 1899. p. 13. Archived from the original on May 10, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2021– via newspapers.com .
29. "Harlem and the Bronx". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. June 19, 1899. p. 8. Archived from the original on May 10, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2021– via newspapers.com .
30. "Harlem and the Bronx". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. December 16, 1899. p. 9. Archived from the original on May 10, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2021– via newspapers.com .
31. "The New Thomas Jefferson Park". New-York Tribune. December 8, 1899. p. 7. Archived from the original on May 10, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2021– via newspapers.com .
32. "Thomas Jefferson Park.; Opening of a New Public Resort on the Upper East Side" . The New York Times. July 12, 1902. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 10, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
33. "A New Breathing Spot". New-York Tribune. July 12, 1902. p. 5. Retrieved January 12, 2021– via newspapers.com .
34. "Building Notes". The Real Estate Record: Real Estate Record and Builders' Guide. Vol. 71, no. 1818. January 17, 1903. p. 104. Archived from the original on May 10, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2021– via columbia.edu.
35. "Improvements in Parks; City Department Announces Its Plans for Betterments" (PDF). The New York Times. July 14, 1903. p. 2. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 10, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
36. "Archbishop Crowns a Miracle Statue; Thousands of Italians See Ceremony in Thomas Jefferson Park" (PDF). The New York Times. July 11, 1904. p. 7. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 10, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
37. "Department of Parks". The Real Estate Record: Real Estate Record and Builders' Guide. Vol. 75, no. 1925. February 4, 1905. p. 242. Archived from the original on May 10, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2021– via columbia.edu.
38. "Jefferson Park Opens With a Field Day; Speeches, Music, and Games at the New East Side Playground" (PDF). The New York Times. October 8, 1905. p. 6. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved January 11, 2021.
39. "Athletics for 'Little Italy'". New York Sun. October 8, 1905. p. 12. Retrieved January 12, 2021– via newspapers.com .
40. "The Costliest Playground". New York Sun. October 29, 1905. p. 33. Archived from the original on May 10, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2021– via newspapers.com .
41. "Jefferson Park Ready". The New York Times. October 4, 1905. p. 16. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved January 12, 2021– via newspapers.com .
42. Gutman 2008 , p. 538.
43. "Children Plant a Thousand Farms; Go to Nature's School in Thomas Jefferson Park All Decked Out in Gay Colors" (PDF). The New York Times. May 21, 1911. p. 6. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 10, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
44. "Get Back to the Soil: One Thousand Children Plant Vegetables in Park". New-York Tribune. May 21, 1911. p. 6. Archived from the original on May 10, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2021– via newspapers.com .
45. "Says School Farms Keep Children Well; President Brannan of Bellevue Commends the Work at a Colony Club Meeting" (PDF). The New York Times. March 30, 1911. p. 7. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 10, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
46. Landmarks Preservation Commission 2007 , pp. 2–3.
47. "Trees to Honor War Dead" (PDF). The New York Times. May 7, 1923. p. 26. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved January 11, 2021.
48. Landmarks Preservation Commission 2007 , pp. 4–5.
49. Rodgers 1952 , p. 82.
50. Rodgers 1952 , p. 84.
51. Caro 1974 , p. 456.
52. Stern, Robert A. M.; Gilmartin, Patrick; Mellins, Thomas (1987). New York 1930: Architecture and Urbanism Between the Two World Wars . New York: Rizzoli. p. 717. ISBN   978-0-8478-3096-1. OCLC   13860977.
53. "23 Bathing Pools Planned by Moses; Nine to Be Begun in a Month to Meet Shortage of Facilities Caused by Pollution" . The New York Times. July 23, 1934. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on August 9, 2019. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
54. "Public Swimming Facilities in New York City" (PDF) (Press release). New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. July 23, 1934. p. 3 (PDF p. 30). Archived (PDF) from the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
55. "City to Construct 9 Pools To Provide Safe Swimming". New York Daily News. July 23, 1934. p. 8. Archived from the original on May 9, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2021– via newspapers.com .
56. "History of Parks' Swimming Pools". New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Archived from the original on January 17, 2021. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
57. Horak, Kathryn E. (June 26, 2007). "McCarren Park" (PDF). New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. p. 7. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 10, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
58. Shattuck, Kathryn (August 14, 2006). "Big Chill of '36: Show Celebrates Giant Depression-Era Pools That Cool New York" . The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on January 10, 2021. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
59. "Park Work Is Begun on 2 Bathing Pools; Construction Under Way at High Bridge and Hamilton Fish – 7 Others to Be Started Soon" (PDF). The New York Times. October 4, 1934. p. 48. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 9, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
60. Landmarks Preservation Commission 2007 , p. 5.
61. "Plans for Buildings Filed by Architects; Variety of New Structures Are Projected in Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens" (PDF). The New York Times. August 21, 1935. p. 38. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved January 12, 2021.
62. Landmarks Preservation Commission 2007 , p. 7.
63. "Mayor Helps Open Five Playgrounds; He and Moses Talk at Thomas Jefferson Park" (PDF). The New York Times. September 24, 1935. p. 20. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved January 12, 2021.
64. "Mayor Opens 5 Playgrounds In Safety Drive: Jefferson Park Broadcast Is Signal to Four in Brooklyn, Queens and Bronx 70 Added Since Jan. 1 LuGuardia Hopes to End All Car Hazards to Children" . New York Herald Tribune. September 24, 1935. p. 22. ProQuest   1330223726 . Retrieved January 12, 2021– via ProQuest.
65. "The Department of Parks will open seven new playgrounds Friday, November 22 at 3:30 P. M." (PDF) (Press release). New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. November 21, 1935. PDF p. 102. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 11, 2021. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
66. "7 New Play Areas Opened by Moses; Queens Exercises Broadcast to Audiences at Centres in Three Other Boroughs" (PDF). The New York Times. November 23, 1935. p. 17. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved January 11, 2021.
67. "Mayor Seeks Park Space For Bocce, Italian Game" (PDF). The New York Times. February 16, 1934. p. 1. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved January 12, 2021.
68. Gutman 2008 , p. 555.
69. "Mayor Dedicates Big Harlem Pool; Turns Over to 'children and People' Swimming Center to Accommodate 1,450" (PDF). The New York Times. June 28, 1936. p. 1. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved January 12, 2021.
70. "Park Foes Pedochiosi (Lousy) to Mayor". New York Daily News. June 28, 1936. p. 156. Retrieved January 12, 2021– via newspapers.com .
71. Landmarks Preservation Commission 2007 , p. 3.
72. Caro 1974 , p. 514.
73. Gutman 2008 , pp. 543, 545.
74. Landmarks Preservation Commission 2007 , p. 6.
75. Caro 1974 , pp. 512–514.
76. Powell, Michael (May 6, 2007). "A Tale of Two Cities" . The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on January 3, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
77. Gutman 2008 , p. 545.
78. Randal, Jonathan (May 30, 1966). "The Harlem Italians; Little Italy Is Kept Alive by Former Residents Who Keep Coming Back" (PDF). The New York Times. p. 12. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved January 12, 2021.
79. "The Outlook for an East Harlem Bathhouse: Warmer" (PDF). The New York Times. January 19, 1966. p. 43. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved January 12, 2021.
80. Kiernan, Joseph (July 25, 1973). "Fire Closes Pool". New York Daily News. p. 89. Retrieved January 12, 2021– via newspapers.com .
81. "Metropolitan Briefs" (PDF). The New York Times. July 25, 1973. p. 47. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved January 12, 2021.
82. "Four Youths Held in Harlem Killing; Gang Members Accused of Unprovoked Attack on Man in Park Friday" (PDF). The New York Times. June 2, 1958. p. 45. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved January 12, 2021.
83. Illson, Murray (July 5, 1974). "Bronx Man Is Slain While Helping Raise Money for Scouts" (PDF). The New York Times. p. 25. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved January 12, 2021.
84. Carmody, Deirdre (March 15, 1981). "Parks Department to Start Hiring for First Time Since Fiscal Crisis". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on August 9, 2019. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
85. Hand, Judson (June 21, 1971). "Getting into the swim in New York". New York Daily News. p. 137. Retrieved January 12, 2021– via newspapers.com .
86. Purnick, Joyce (July 26, 2001). "Metro Matters; Falling Down On the Upkeep Of City Parks" . The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on January 13, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
87. "Donation Will Keep 32 Public Pools Open". The New York Times. May 16, 1991. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on August 9, 2019. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
88. Marriott, Michel (July 7, 1993). "A Menacing Ritual Is Called Common in New York Pools" . The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on August 9, 2019. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
89. Terrazzano, Lauren (July 11, 1994). "Deep at City Pool; Sex harass is pervasive". New York Daily News. pp.  7, 20 – via newspapers.com .
90. Bernstein, Emily M. (November 28, 1993). "Neighborhood Report: Harlem Profile; Young Boxers Find a Woman in Their Corner" . The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on January 14, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
91. Feiden, Douglas (March 16, 1992). "Dinkins Rushes Capital Funds to Create Jobs" . Crain's New York Business. Vol. 8, no. 11. p. 1. ProQuest   219119967. Archived from the original on January 13, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021– via ProQuest.
92. Martin, Douglas (August 15, 1999). "A Day in the Water, Floating on Air; A Swimmer Finds That Manhattan's 12 Municipal Pools Are Oases Where All Cares Dissolve" . The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on January 13, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
93. Chan, Sewell (December 24, 2008). "City Shuts Field Over Lead Concern". City Room. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
94. Schuster, Karla (August 3, 2007). "After 71 years Astoria Pool is among 10 outdoor public pools that the city is designating as landmarks" . Newsday. p. A16. ProQuest   280156824 . Retrieved January 8, 2021– via ProQuest.
95. Landmarks Preservation Commission 2007 , p. 1.
96. Brozan, Nadine (July 30, 1990). "A Crumbling Pool Divides a Neighborhood" . The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on January 10, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
97. Buckley, Cara (February 9, 2009). "At City's Synthetic Fields, High Lead Levels Fuel Debate" . The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on January 14, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
98. Lombardi, Frank (December 23, 2008). "Lead in turf shuts East Harlem field". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on January 15, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
99. Krisel, Brendan (November 8, 2017). "East Harlem's First Skate Park Opens In Thomas Jefferson Park". Harlem, NY Patch. Archived from the original on January 15, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
100. Ihaza, Jeff (April 7, 2018). "Skateboarders Won" . The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on January 14, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
101. Garber, Nick (March 17, 2021). "2 Harlem Playgrounds Reopen After Yearslong Renovations". Harlem, NY Patch. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
102. "Thomas Jefferson Park Playground Reconstruction". New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Archived from the original on February 26, 2021. Retrieved April 11, 2021.

Sources

• Caro, Robert (1974). The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York . New York: Knopf. ISBN   978-0-394-48076-3. OCLC   834874.
• Gutman, Marta (November 1, 2008). "Race, Place, and Play: Robert Moses and the WPA Swimming Pools in New York City". Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians. Vol. 67, no. 4. University of California Press. pp. 532–561. doi:10.1525/jsah.2008.67.4.532. ISSN   0037-9808.
• Noonan, Theresa C. (July 24, 2007). "Thomas Jefferson Play Center" (PDF). New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.
• Rodgers, Cleveland (1952). Robert Moses, Builder for Democracy. New York: Holt. OCLC   528489.