History

HISTORY OF THE GARDEN

Ancestral Land

This area was the ancestral land of the Lenape people, who called it Mannahatta (“Hilly Island”). Image: NYC Department of Records and Information Services.

The “Country”

The area that is now the Upper West Side of Manhattan was once considered the “country.” Image: NYC Department of Records and Information Services.

1880s-1930s

55-57 W 87th Street, ca. 1939-41. Image: NYC Department of Records and Information Services.

Two 1892 brownstones once stood at 55-57 W 87th Street, the site now occupied by the Garden. These single-family homes were built during a boom between the 1880s and the 1930s.

1965

The two brownstones at 55-57 W 87th Street were demolished in 1965 as part of the City’s West Side Urban Renewal program. This plan was later scrapped and the vacant lot became an informal neighborhood gathering place for many years.

1970s-1990s

A map showing the more than 550 NYC GreenThumb gardens. Image: NYC Parks GreenThumb Gardens.

In 1978, the NYC Parks Department established the GreenThumb community gardens program in response to the city’s financial crisis of the 1970s, which resulted in the abandonment of public and private land. The majority of GreenThumb gardens were derelict vacant lots renovated by volunteers. NYC Parks GreenThumb is the nation’s largest urban gardening program, sustaining over 550 community gardens and supporting thousands of volunteer gardeners throughout New York City. The West 87th Street Park & Garden became a GreenThumb garden in the late 1990s.

The empty lot at 55-57 W 87th Street, ca. 1980s. Image: Landmarkwest.org.

In the 1980s, the City erected a chain-link fence on the vacant lot and later stored heavy machinery for a Columbus Ave. repaving and infrascructure project. When that project ended in the mid-1990s, the City designated the lot for use as a community garden.

In 1997, committed neighbors held meetings to discuss the future of the site. A Constitution for the Garden was established in June of that year, and a planned layout of garden beds, seating areas, paths, and a children’s play area was approved by the community. The Garden was formally established as a 501(c)(3) corporation in March 1998. While the land is City-owned, the 501(c)(3) designation allows the Garden Administrative Committee, made up of neighborhood volunteers, to care for the Garden, plan activities and events, and fundraise to maintain the Garden for everyone’s enjoyment.

Today

The Garden is an ever-changing shade garden, a place of rest, reflection, study, socializing, and play for visitors of all ages and backgrounds. In addition, arts, culture, and family events take place each spring, summer, and fall. The Garden provides important green space, improving air quality, biodiversity, and the well–being of residents.

Please follow us on Facebook and Instagram for Garden updates throughout the year: @87thStreetGardenNYC