Brookdale Park is a county park located in the townships of Bloomfield, New Jersey, and Montclair. Designed by the Olmsted Brothers landscape design firm, 78 acres (320,000 m2) are in Bloomfield;[1] Brookdale Park is part of the Essex County park system. It is partially forested and partially lawns, with paths going through.
Going through the park is a circular, one way road, with three roads leading out of the park. There are many entrances for pedestrians, and there are two parking lots of approximately forty spots each. The road goes around parts of the park that have many athletic fields, park buildings, and other facilities. In the southern end of this area is the great meadow, and on the northern side there are the playgrounds, baseball/softball fields, and the stadium with the grandstand, track, and turf soccer field.[2]
On the outside of the roadway there are many paths through the wood of stately trees that is the western half of the park. This part of the park is mostly in Montclair. Many minor facilities and areas are in the Western half. On this side there is a road entrance, the Rose Garden, the Tennis Courts, and the Dog Park. In the south there is another car entrance. In the northwestern corner there is a smaller field and the Archery range.
Historyedit
Independence Day fireworks from the Rose Garden
Before Brookdale was a park, the area was used by the First Nations Lenape Native Americans, later known as the Delaware, as a planting/gathering ground. In the late 17th century, Dutch pioneers took over the area, farming rhubarb on it, and put their houses there. This was the beginning of what would grow into Speertown and then be merged with Cranetown to make Montclair. The Brookdale area was originally called Stonehouse Plains by the Dutch.
Land started to be purchased in 1928 and all the land, 121.41 acres (0.4913 km2) in total, were purchased by 1931. Frederick Law Olmsted Firm was chosen as the firm to design the park, and they completed most of the park by 1930 but the Great Depression slowed work down. It was finished in 1937. This firm is well known for designing much of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and Central Park in New York City.[3]
Old timers recall the park being the site of the area's coal/wood ash dump. Off Grove Street and down what is now Chester Road, the dirt lane saw horse-drawn ash wagons carrying the discarded ashes and clinkers of coal-burning furnaces collected from homes in the surrounding towns. As coal was replaced by oil and then gas as a heating fuel, the dump became part of the future Essex County park site.[citation needed]
On January 15, 2023 at 11:30 pm, a fatal one-car crash occurred on the downhill left bend of West Circuit Drive. An SUV left the roadway striking a lamp post, an exercise beam and a tree at high speed. Three minors in the car were injured and taken to local hospitals. One boy, 16-year-old Nathan Latifi, died in the accident. All four occupants were students at Glen Ridge High School.
Amenitiesedit
Archery Field and storage houseFree Public Concert in Brookdale
1½ mile fitness course
softball/baseball fields
Archery field
picnic grounds
Bike and running races
Grandstand
Restrooms
Interpretive Trail
Playgrounds
Annual arts and crafts festival
11 Tennis Courts
Formal rose garden with over 100 different species
^About the Park,43 acres (170,000 m2) of the Park are in Montclair, Brookdale Park Conservancy. Accessed March 7, 2018. "Brookdale Park, designed by the world renowned Olmsted Firm, is the fourth largest park in the historic Essex County Park System (est. 1895 as the first county park system in the US). With a total of 121 acres - 78 acres in Bloomfield and 43 acres in Montclair - Brookdale is a serene oasis in an otherwise densely populated area. "
^. Archived from the original on 2009-02-14. Retrieved 2009-05-22.
^ ab[1] 2008-06-10 at the Wayback Machine, www.essex-countynj.org, ?, ?. Accessed July 10, 2008.
External linksedit
January 01, 1970
brookdale, park, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, december, . This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Brookdale Park news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2021 Learn how and when to remove this message Brookdale Park is a county park located in the townships of Bloomfield New Jersey and Montclair Designed by the Olmsted Brothers landscape design firm 78 acres 320 000 m2 are in Bloomfield 1 Brookdale Park is part of the Essex County park system It is partially forested and partially lawns with paths going through Brookdale ParkBrookdale s MeadowTypePublic ParkLocationMontclair New Jersey and Bloomfield New JerseyCoordinates40 50 02 N 74 11 21 W 40 833900 N 74 189200 W 40 833900 74 189200Area121 41 acres third largest in county systemCreated1931Operated byEssex CountyOpenAll yearParkingTwo lots about 40 spaces each Contents 1 Overview 2 History 3 Amenities 4 Gallery 5 References 6 External linksOverview edit nbsp Tennis CourtsGoing through the park is a circular one way road with three roads leading out of the park There are many entrances for pedestrians and there are two parking lots of approximately forty spots each The road goes around parts of the park that have many athletic fields park buildings and other facilities In the southern end of this area is the great meadow and on the northern side there are the playgrounds baseball softball fields and the stadium with the grandstand track and turf soccer field 2 On the outside of the roadway there are many paths through the wood of stately trees that is the western half of the park This part of the park is mostly in Montclair Many minor facilities and areas are in the Western half On this side there is a road entrance the Rose Garden the Tennis Courts and the Dog Park In the south there is another car entrance In the northwestern corner there is a smaller field and the Archery range History edit nbsp Independence Day fireworks from the Rose GardenBefore Brookdale was a park the area was used by the First Nations Lenape Native Americans later known as the Delaware as a planting gathering ground In the late 17th century Dutch pioneers took over the area farming rhubarb on it and put their houses there This was the beginning of what would grow into Speertown and then be merged with Cranetown to make Montclair The Brookdale area was originally called Stonehouse Plains by the Dutch Land started to be purchased in 1928 and all the land 121 41 acres 0 4913 km2 in total were purchased by 1931 Frederick Law Olmsted Firm was chosen as the firm to design the park and they completed most of the park by 1930 but the Great Depression slowed work down It was finished in 1937 This firm is well known for designing much of the National Mall in Washington D C and Central Park in New York City 3 Old timers recall the park being the site of the area s coal wood ash dump Off Grove Street and down what is now Chester Road the dirt lane saw horse drawn ash wagons carrying the discarded ashes and clinkers of coal burning furnaces collected from homes in the surrounding towns As coal was replaced by oil and then gas as a heating fuel the dump became part of the future Essex County park site citation needed On January 15 2023 at 11 30 pm a fatal one car crash occurred on the downhill left bend of West Circuit Drive An SUV left the roadway striking a lamp post an exercise beam and a tree at high speed Three minors in the car were injured and taken to local hospitals One boy 16 year old Nathan Latifi died in the accident All four occupants were students at Glen Ridge High School Amenities edit nbsp Archery Field and storage house nbsp Free Public Concert in Brookdale 1 mile fitness course softball baseball fields Archery field picnic grounds Bike and running races Grandstand Restrooms Interpretive Trail Playgrounds Annual arts and crafts festival 11 Tennis Courts Formal rose garden with over 100 different species Summer concerts and Fourth of July celebrations Fireworks displays Dog Park Soccer Fields A block away from Yantacaw Brook Park Mountain bike trailGallery editBrookdale Park Gallery nbsp Brookdale Rose Garden nbsp A path around the perimeter of the park nbsp The running track grand stand and turf soccer field nbsp The entrance waiting area at the dog parkFootnote 3 References edit About the Park 43 acres 170 000 m2 of the Park are in Montclair Brookdale Park Conservancy Accessed March 7 2018 Brookdale Park designed by the world renowned Olmsted Firm is the fourth largest park in the historic Essex County Park System est 1895 as the first county park system in the US With a total of 121 acres 78 acres in Bloomfield and 43 acres in Montclair Brookdale is a serene oasis in an otherwise densely populated area Brookdale Park Conservancy Archived from the original on 2009 02 14 Retrieved 2009 05 22 a b 1 Archived 2008 06 10 at the Wayback Machine www essex countynj org Accessed July 10 2008 External links editEssex County Parks Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Brookdale Park amp oldid 1138064277, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
