washington park albany new_york albany new_york city premier park site festivals gatherings public property dates city charter seen uses including gunpowder storage square parade grounds cemetery park mistaken designed incorporate philosophical ideals designed manhattan park acres size acre roughly foot long foot wide lake southwestern corner park historic residential surrounding neighborhood architectural works line streets facing park designed famous architects late 19th century including governors new_york lived buildings facing outside term office historical architectural significance park neighborhood included park named nation important parks boston based composer wrote orchestral piece inspired park entitled history cemetery parade grounds public property charter granted albany incorporating city charter specified land privately owned time property mayor city albany including land site portion land set aside structure built house gunpowder areas streets state street madison avenue land west south state street hudson avenue taken cemetery sections albany churches separate sections african americans strangers west cemetery house farm grounds renamed later washington parade ground remains cemetery removed albany rural cemetery churches years leading creation park leading citizens newspapers albany pushed grand public park company hired plan park plan envisioned centerpiece string parks similar designed buffalo boston brooklyn company involved actual design park broad vision followed detailed designs including idea beaver kill beaver creek form grand lake construction park passed law authorizing creation large public park spot creation washington park later commissioners drew plans worked new_york later chief engineer chief engineer charge drafting plans supervision construction assistant took charge formal garden settings planted work washington parade grounds streets begun july finished end year cemetery area reopened park section lexington robin streets focus work including form focus shifted roughly acres madison avenue lake robin built lake acres row houses street north madison purchased destroyed included area site king memorial fountain large house grounds park purchased site tennis courts northwestern corner cut park rectangular shape park plots owned barnes family developed urban facing process buying improving land criticized improvement raised value existing land needed purchased increase property value shown value lands surrounding doubling years majority park improvements properties robin street renamed increased value commissioners given state additional powers build maintain approaches park parks allowed commissioners build series city western avenue northwestern corner location toll gate commissioners work road began late finished year total construction cost park including purchasing real estate improving western avenue northern boulevard today manning boulevard constructed commissioners extended western end jurisdiction western avenue north east intersection clinton central avenues state legislature gave commissioners authority lake avenue park corner madison avenue south albany addition commissioners gained control existing parks built new ones city including hudson avenue park clinton square beaver park later grounds observatory board commissioners transformed later bureau separate department modern times lancaster street previously ended street opposite park extended today associated extension widened lancaster state streets turned ways entrances closed turning dead end streets western avenue washington park road renamed honor colonial congress held albany proposed closer ties support northern boulevard intersection madison avenue north park continuing avenue renamed honor african american world war hero 1950s dutch disease killed populated park crab planted replace pedestrian mall deteriorating decades saw revival 1990s 2000s flower beds restored original specifications pedestrian mall removed pavement widened original dimensions disease resistant planted form canopy night border periphery park restored structures originally included buildings shelters logs pavilion shelter landscape wooden lake house replaced modern brick structure time succumbed age changing use patterns park longer stand remaining original structure erected lake lamps bridge originally gas burning electrified current washington park lake house built replacing original stick style structure constructed constructed spanish revival style brick tile area lake house site performance plays years seat faces lake house allowing comfortable seating people visit year proposal city turn lake house seat restaurant seat banquet hall expanded dock boat cross country ski ice failed lack interest private business sector monuments bust founder erected memorial park bronze statue erected panels base installed famous scottish poet statue sculpted panels base burns poems carved saint andrew society funded conservation statue king memorial fountain fountain erected monumental bronze statue moses rock water mount figures slaves statue mountain represent stages life infancy youth adulthood old age fountain center formal gardens laid gift sculpted sculpted philip statue stands center intersection eagle street washington avenue city hall statue moses cleaned applied wax coating protect weather arm statues fountain monument colonel commemorating combat character french indian wars consists pound boulder scenes conflict fought plaque dedicated patriotic services defense albany people boulder placed sons american revolution facing entrance park corner state streets entrance longer exists boulder faced scene accidents drivers missed sharp curve anniversary park boulder moved yards corner state soldiers sailors monument marble monument sitting granite base bronze statue representing nation holding victory monument built tennessee marble seat remainder granite feet high feet long feet deep surrounded seat resting platform feet long feet deep sits entrance state street park monument represents nation peace won victorious war finished american sculptor erected republic monument civil war veterans monument restored renamed unveiling year old women year olds unveiled monument erected bust world war hero traffic island intersection street near madison avenue erected activities activities open visitors residents maintained city spontaneously set individuals open spaces visitors play games tennis basketball courts maintained city park ice skating permitted swimming prohibited popular roadways closed traffic legal park monuments ball courts park fall city wide ban public monuments statues tennis basketball courts site festivals concerts special occasions festival held year highlighted park african american tradition origins traced dutch festivities later incorporated included mother year award latin festival italian festival ethnic festivals held year park city sponsor capital holiday lights winter displays park proceeds benefit juvenile crime prevention programs fund held year park run women run silver label race draws professional marathon runners kenya australia united_states locals largest women races world served national championship historic district streets surrounding state street north east madison avenue south west residence western avenue northwest included washington park historic district existing properties date 1880s creation park state street state street way eastbound street northern border sit state street facing park brick stories tall homes built railroad executives politicians notable national architects stanford white local ones buildings fine details decorative tiles stone corner state located designed church noted windows new_york governor lived state street term office owned state street benjamin buildings albany designed stanford white street street northbound way street comprising blocks stretching southeastern corner park intersection madison avenue northeastern corner street historic district including approximately buildings street entirely residential built corner state street different styles including spanish revival classical revival georgian larger apartment buildings built break continuous row older apartment buildings story building built spans street building sits site predecessor burned oldest building maintain original facade built nearby street home owner publisher state governor new_york catholic new_york governor longtime albany resident reach position madison avenue madison avenue cross country route lanes wide busiest street district roughly buildings madison avenue face park east intersection madison urban 19th century west robin street dominated large detached residences converted medical offices buildings madison park improvements occurred street taylor property later basketball tennis courts madison home currently administrative offices facing consists modern apartment building converted carriage house apartments built classical revival architecture style stories tall art style built row yellow brick designed place terrace place terrace constructed commissioners maintained time half maintenance cost assessed private property facing street restrictions placed prevent fences uses preserve park like appearance robin street receiving current 1870s laid lots large carriage houses built place designed designed place residence president developed decade residence bishops owned central administration prior moving commerce plaza
Washington Park Historic District (Albany, New York)