Glen Island Park
Glen Island Park is a 105-acre (0.42 km2) waterfront park, located on Glen Island, on the Long Island Sound, New York. The park is owned and operated by Westchester County and shares the island with a privately operated but county-owned entertainment facility, the Glen Island Harbour Club (formerly the Glen Island Casino) The Glen Island Casino was a springboard to success during the 1930s Big Band Era, including that of Ozzie Nelson, Charlie Barnet, Claude Thornhill, Les Brown, The Dorsey Brothers and Glenn Miller.[1] Westchester County residency is required for parking and beach access.
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Long Island Sound |
| Coordinates | 40.8852°N 73.7838°W |
| Total islands | 5 islands |
| Area | 105 acres (42 ha) |
| Administration | |
United States | |
| State | New York |
| County | Westchester County |
| City | New Rochelle |
History
In 1879, former U.S. Congressman John H. Starin bought Glen Island and four nearby islands. He gave Glen Island its name and converted the islands into Starin's Glen Island, a summer resort for city dwellers that has been called "the first theme park".[2] The islands were connected by causeways and piers, and each island featured a different international theme.[3] Steamships transported visitors from New York City to the park.[4] The park, which opened in 1881, attracted thousands of people daily, included among its attractions a bathing beach, a natural history museum, a zoo, a German beer garden and castle, musical entertainment, and a Chinese pagoda.[2][5]
In 1923, Westchester County acquired the site, which is now a public recreational park.[3]
The castle was disassembled from its location in Germany and shipped to its present location in the 1920s. It gained the name Iona Castle after Iona College. In 2010, the castle was used by the Iona College and Sarah Lawrence College rowing teams.[6]
In 2020 Glen Island Park was temporarily closed and converted into a Coronavirus testing site. It has since been returned for use by Westchester County residents.
References
- "Glen Island Park". Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation & Conservation. Archived from the original on 2008-07-22. Retrieved 2009-04-07. and "Glen Island Park". Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation & Conservation. Retrieved 2010-10-14.
- New Rochelle History: 1861-1879 timeline, City of New Rochelle website
- Futrell, Jim (2006). Amusement Parks of New York. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. p. 24. ISBN 0-8117-3262-2. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
- The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. Vol. 2. New York: J.T. White. 1892. p. 20. OCLC 754555174. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
- "Starin's Glen Island: Enhanced Attractions of a Famous Resort" (PDF). The New York Times. July 18, 1897. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
- Barry, Scott (2010). "Iona Castle". Castles of New York. State University of New York Press. p. 37. ISBN 9781438433974.
