Dana Park

Dana Park is a small .2-acre (810 m2) urban park in Albany, New York and includes a memorial to James Dana which doubles as Albany's last remaining horse trough.[1][2] It is located in the Y-intersection caused by Delaware Avenue to the east and Lark Street to the west, with the third leg of the triangle formed by Dana Avenue. Madison Avenue forms a five-point intersection with Lark Street and Delaware Avenue at the eastern end of the park. The park is important to several different neighborhoods, Hudson-Park, Park South, and Lark Street.[3][4][5]

Dana Park
Dana Park as viewed from Lark Street
TypeUrban park
LocationAlbany, New York
Area.2 acres (810 m2)
Created1826

History

In December, 1826 the Common Council of Albany decided that at the end of the lease of the current property holder of Delaware Square, the square would become a public square. [6] The park was dedicated on Arbor Day 1901 as Dana Park by Mayor Blessing, [7] in honor of James Dwight Dana, a renowned geologist from Utica. The Dana Natural History Society of Albany, a women only science organization begun in 1868, erected an ornate fountain at the eastern end of the park in 1903.[8][9] The fountain was a trough to water horses and was used until the late 1940s, the horses pulling the bread wagons of the Freihofer's Baking Company were the last known to use it until the fountain was hooked back to the city water main in 1988 for use by the Albany Police Department's mounted patrol unit.[2]

Dana Memorial

The Dana Memorial is a granite memorial to geologist James Dwight Dana which includes the last remaining horse trough in the city. The memorial is carved with features of trilobites, crinoids, and eurypterid. It was erected in 1903 by the Dana Natural History Society, which today is the oldest female naturalist association in the United States. The fountain is also used to collect water for watering a small garden in the middle of the park.[2]

Activities

A farmer's market is held every Thursday during the summer.[10]

A Little Free Library book box is located within Dana Park, providing the community with a free book-sharing program.[11][12]

Little Free Library book box located in Dana Park

References
  1. Directory for the Year 1907 of the Cities of Albany and Rensselaer, Containing Street Directories, Classified Business Directories and Directories of the City Governments and Institutions. Sampson & Murdock, Co. 1907. p. 66.
  2. Kelly, Brad (1988-06-02). "Albany's Last Horse Trough Back in Service". Times Union (Albany). Hearst Communications. p. B2. Archived from the original on 2012-05-26.
  3. "June 30 Meeting". Park South Neighborhood Association. Archived from the original on 2012-03-26. Retrieved 2011-06-23.
  4. "Hudson/Park Neighborhood Association Homepage". Retrieved 2011-06-23.
  5. Gardinier, Bob (1996-04-12). "Big Dreams on Lark Street Landscape". Times Union (Albany). Hearst Communications. p. B1. Archived from the original on 2012-05-26.
  6. Munsell, Joel (1857). The Annals of Albany. Vol. VIII. J. Munsell. p. 161.
  7. McEneny, John J. (1981). Albany, Capital City on the Hudson: An Illustrated History. Windsor Publications. p. 23.
  8. Rittner, Don (2008). Images of America: Albany Revisited. Arcadia Publishing. p. 38. ISBN 978-0-7385-5652-9.
  9. "In Memory of Prof. Dana" (PDF). New York Times. 1903-04-26. p. 13.
  10. Gish, Jennifer (2009-06-11). "Farmers at the Forefront". Times Union (Albany). Hearst Communications. p. E1. Archived from the original on 2012-05-26.
  11. "Little Free Library Search Tool". littlefreelibrary.org. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  12. "Grassroot Givers LFL Network". grassrootgivers.org. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  • Media related to Dana Park at Wikimedia Commons

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