Anderson Park, New Jersey

Infobox park
park = Anderson Park


image size =
caption = Anderson Park's Lawn
type = Public Park
location = Montclair, New Jersey
coordinates = coord|40.827853|-74.245289|display=inline,title
size = 14.85 acres
opened = 1905
operator = Essex County
visitors =
status = Open all year.

Anderson Park is a county park located in Montclair, New Jersey, United States. Anderson park is part of the Essex County park system.

History

In the late 19th century C.W. Anderson, founder of the park, Prominent Montclair resident, and record-holding commuter [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E01E7DA123AE633A25755C0A9679C946396D6CF 289,000 MILES ON THE ERIE.; Record of a Montclair Commuter Who Will Di... - Article Preview - The New York Times ] ] , decided that there should be a park from Bellevue Avenue to Watchung Avenue and from the railroad right-of-way to North Mountain Road. The land in which he was talking about at the time was a swampy area that many thought to as a health risk.

Eventually Montclair started a commission and the Frederick Law Olmsted firm was chosen as the firm to design the park, and they completed the design on August 4, 1903. This firm is well known for designing much of the National Mall in Washington D.C. and Central Park in New York City. In the end the park plans called for a smaller park that only extended to where Parkside Road is now located.

The park is also well known because it was the first park in the first part of the Essex County Park Commission which was the first county wide network of parks. [ [http://www.friendsofandersonpark.org/parkhistory.htm] , [www.friendsofandersonpark.com. Accessed August 31, 2008.]

In 2006 fifty garbage cans were installed around the park, and the soccer fields were costily redone as part of a general renovation. The public disapproved of trash cans every 35 feet, so many were removed. [ [http://www.baristanet.com/2006/01/the_cans_go_marching_one_by_on.php The Cans Go Marching One By One (Baristanet) ] ]

In August 2007 swastikas and other racist graffiti was found in the park, and promptly removed

Name

.]

Qualities

The park has a circuitous path that goes around its central lawn and is exactly 3/5 of a mile long. On the path there are many places to stop and take a rest at the many, newly installed benches. It is possible to walk around at night because in early 2008 new lights were installed which are around the path. The park has a large open grass space that takes up most of the park and is sometimes used for lacrosse and field hockey games. The park is also host to an Arts and Crafts fair annually. [ [http://www.essex-countynj.org/p/index.php?section=parks/sites/and&ImgLoc=images/anderson] , www.essex-countynj.org, ?, ?. Accessed July 10, 2008.]

Location

Anderson Park is located in Northern Montclair, very close to the slope of the First Watchung Mountain. Anderson Park is within approximately two minutes of walking distance from the center of the commercial zone in Upper Montclair on Bellevue Avenue and Valley Road, the Upper Montclair Railway Station , and is across the street from the childhood home of Buzz Aldrin.

Gallery

The_Upper Montclair Railway Station from Anderson Park

External links

* [http://www.essex-countynj.org/p/index.php?section=parks/sites/and&ImgLoc=images/anderson| Essex County Parks]
* [http://www.friendsofandersonpark.com] Friends of Anderson Park

References