Columbus Park

1897 - present

Originally known as Mulberry Bend Park, Columbus Park was established in 1897 on the site of the notorious Five Points neighborhood, once considered the city’s most dangerous slum. Driven by reformers such as photojournalist Jacob Riis, who exposed the inhumane living conditions in his landmark work How the Other Half Lives (1890), the city razed the area and created Mulberry Bend Park in 1897. The park was designed by Calvert Vaux, co-designer of Central Park, who envisioned a space that would provide light, air, and recreation to the densely populated immigrant community. In 1911, the park was renamed Columbus Park. Today, Columbus Park has become an important community gathering place that features basketball courts, playgrounds, a performance pavilion, and open spaces that are heavily used by the local community. It hosts many different activities and assemblies, including tai chi, mahjong, traditional music performances, etc.

Columbus Park (2), Little Italy/Chinatown
Manhattan: Mulberry Street - Bayard Street
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Details

Category
Playground
Audience
All Ages
Founder(s)
Jacob A. Riis
Corporate Body
New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
Tags
Immigration, Poverty, Sports, outdoorrecreation

Location

  • Columbus Park, Mulberry Street &, Baxter St, New York, NY 10013, USA
    ? - ?

References

  1. New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. “Columbus Park Highlights”, accessed April 27, 2025, https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/columbus-park-m015/history.
  2. Living New Deal. “COLUMBUS PARK IMPROVEMENTS – NEW YORK NY,” accessed April 27, 2025, https://livingnewdeal.org/sites/columbus-park-improvements-new-york-ny/.
  3. New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. “1911 New York City Parks Department Annual Report”, accessed April 27, 2025, https://www.nyc.gov/html/records/pdf/govpub/4027annual_report_nyc_dept_parks_1911.pdf.