Tuesday, January 10, 2012

2012 the Centennial year for Isham Park

Happy 2012!  On September 28, 2012, Isham Park will be one hundred years old...on that day in 1912, a Civic Celebration was held by New York City to honor the park, the gift of land for which had been conceived by Julia Isham Taylor.

Mrs. Taylor had made clear her intention to give New York City a portion of the land in Inwood which had belonged to her recently deceased father, William Bradley Isham (1827-1909), at a meeting of his executors.  The gift was intended to be used for a park named in her father's honor.  Her aunt, William's sister Flora E. Isham, was inspired by Julia's idea to give additional land for the new park (for details see: Celebrate Park Gift from Women to City, The New-York Tribune, September 29, 1912).

As the land was a central high point in Inwood, it was given in part to preserve beautiful views in all directions.