St. John's Park

This once elegant haven tells a story of devastating transformation. In the 1830s, lower Manhattan saw the rise of an Episcopal church and upscale homes surrounding a private park, much like today's Gramercy Park. Residents enjoyed strolls, picnics, and winter ice skating in this refined setting. As Manhattan expanded and wealthy residents moved uptown, the area's decline set in. In 1867, breaking a long-standing promise to donate the park to NYC, homeowners and Trinity Church Vestry sold the entire property to railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt for one million dollars. Vanderbilt's actions were swift and devastating. Railroad tracks cut through the street, over 200 trees were razed, and a freight shed replaced the park. Once-stately homes devolved into overcrowded slums before becoming warehouses.This destruction of nature outraged New Yorkers, turning St. John's Park into a rallying cry for urban green space preservation. By the early 20th century, high-rises replaced the area, later giving way to the Holland Tunnel.