 | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Long Island Sound |
| Coordinates | 40°53′07″N 73°47′02″W / 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 |
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.
The island is situated between Davids, Neptune, and Travers islands in New Rochelle, and Hunter Island in nearby Pelham Bay Park, in the Bronx borough of New York City. Although now one island, the site originally consisted of one large main island in close proximity to at least four smaller nearby islands, a number of rocky outcroppings, low-lying flats, and salt marshes. The island includes remnants of some of the historic structures of Starin's Resort.[2]
Starin's Glen Island was a summer resort on the island in the community of New Rochelle, developed by shipping magnate and U.S. Congressman John H. Starin in the late 19th century. Starin's resort, referred to as "America's pleasure grounds"[3] was the first theme park in the country.[4] The park's original design exhibited the five cultures of the western world on individual islands linked together with piers and causeways.[5] The extreme popularity of the park resulted in a building boom in New Rochelle in the first decade of the twentieth century.[6]
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Glen Island Park". Westchester County Parks.
- ^ Starin's Glen Island. Long Island Sound. A Day Summer Resort. ... 1881 ... Most Attractive Day Summer Resort in America. Five Points, New York: Donaldson Brothers. 1881.
- ^ "New Rochelle History: 1861-1879 timeline". City of New Rochelle.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
amusementwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Westchester: The American suburb. New York, NY: Fordham University Press & (Duplicate) Jackson, K. T., & Panetta, R. G. 2006. ISBN 9780823225941.