Isham Park turns 110

Last Wednesday, September 28, 2022, Isham Park quietly turned 110 years old.
Difficult to believe a whole decade has flown by us.

The park has served NYC through two pandemics.

On Saturday October 15th, VIP is holding  It's My Park Day in Isham Park to celebrate

by working to maintain the park:

It's My Park Day

Saturday October 15th (rain date Sunday October 16th)

9am to 12 noon

Meet at the Isham Memorial terrace 

just southeast of the Park Terrace East entrance to Isham Park.

Work will include:

- cleaning pathways

- mulching gardens

- painting benches

Hope to see you all on the 15th

                                                    

Photo above: Vintage pin worn by a member of the Isham family, Carol Collins Malone, at the Centennial Celebration held on September 29, 2012  

2022: April showers

Birds. Nests abound in Inwood as do birds and bird song. A Japanese Zelkova tree along Park Terrace West boasts this decor of trailing Easter basket grass. Farther up is another nest.

Friday April 15th begins Passover week.  Tomorrow is also Good Friday. Saturday is the Pink full moon. Sunday is Easter. 

Today, the afternoon brought a sudden storm, with a gentle but thorough rain. 

April showers bring May flowers. This well-worn phrase is said to mean in a general sense: good will follow adversity.  This year it has a special significance.

November 2021

When the Pandemic started in 2020, no one knew we would still be dealing with it in November of 2021.  

Eastern Red Bud trees along the west side of Park Terrace West, planted in 2015 by Million Trees New York, are now in full fall color. Their clearly bright yellow leaves are the color compliment to their spring fuschia or purplish-pink flowers. Black seed pods hang on them in profusion. 

Isham Park was given to New York City in 1911; its opening ceremony was held on September 28, 1912. So next year, 2022, will be the 110th anniversary for the opening of Isham Park which has quietly served the city through two Pandemics. 

 

The historic Broadway mile marker in Isham Park

 

Above: Broadway entrance to Isham Park on the occasion of the Isham Park Centennial September 29, 2012. The marker is at left; the poster at right was part of a temporary signage series by VIP identifying the elements of Isham Park.

Today a small group of volunteers for Isham Park worked along Broadway, in and around the south entrance to the park, once the entrance drive to William Bradley Isham's estate.

Maria Lall invested countless hours creating and maintaining gardens this area of the park which she deemed "Isham Alley."  A community effort is underway to name the path in her honor.

There is a worn stone mile-marker embedded in the retaining wall beside the north pillar at the entrance that has been described by many over the years.  A friend at the Historic Districts Council sent VIP a link to a recently posted article about the marker from the blog Ephemeral New York:

https://ephemeralnewyork.wordpress.com/2021/09/06/the-only-colonial-era-mile-marker-remaining-on-a-manhattan-street/

This Butterfly Bush hedge has matured

 

Maria & Walter planted this Butterfly Bush hedge

a while back; this summer it is blooming profusely.

 

Stone edging was donated by our neighbor Jackie.

 

Isham Park Summer 2021

 

Missing Maria

 

    

 "Hey Baby!"  

Who will greet us this way now?