Pugsley Creek Park
77.68 acres
Pugsley Creek, which divides Clason Point (on its west)
from Castle Hill Neck (on its east), was originally used by the Siwanoy
Indians to reach their village near the tip of Castle Hill Neck. Early
documents indicate that the small waterway was called Maeneppis Kill.
Castle Hill Neck was settled around 1650 by John Cromwell, a cousin
of Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell. Following a disagreement with Oliver
Cromwell over the execution of King Charles I, John Cromwell's family
moved to the Netherlands and eventually settled in America. Throughout
most of the 17th and 18th centuries, Castle Hill Neck became known
as Cromwell's Neck, and the nearby creek became Cromwell's Creek.
Cromwell's Creek underwent several name changes in the
years following the American Revolution. However, by the mid-1800s,
the Pugsley family had acquired a large tract of land known as the
Cow Neck Farm, located near what is now Parkchester. With docks located
near the present intersection of Lafayette Avenue and White Plains
Road, the Pugsley family used the creek for shipping supplies to and
from the Cow Neck Farm. Eventually, the creek became known as Pugsley
Creek. As New York City's population grew during the late 1800s, the
Bronx became increasingly urbanized. Although Pugsley Creek originally
extended inland to Westchester Avenue, new development in the area
significantly shortened the creek. With the construction of Ludlow
Avenue (now Bruckner Boulevard), the northern portion of the creek
was filled in. Pugsley Creek was further shortened with the construction
of Lacombe Avenue, which marks the current northerly extent of the
creek. The acquisition of parkland along Pugsley Creek progressed
in several stages throughout the 20th century. On August 1, 1906, the City of New York condemned a
small tract of land on Clason Point, near the mouth of Pugsley Creek,
and declared it a Public Place. In 1921, the City transferred a portion
of this property to the Department of Marine and Aviation, which operated
a ferry between Clason Point and College Point, Queens. The remaining
land came under Parks jurisdiction in 1938. The ferry service ended
in 1939, and the Department of Marine and Aviation surrendered its
parcel to the Board of Estimate in 1956. Although this land was never
formally transferred to Parks, it is maintained and operated as Parks
property. In 1977 Parks acquired a large parcel along Pugsley Creek
north of the original park. On June 18, 1987 the combined parcels
were officially named Pugsley Creek Park. A small team of archaeologists excavated a site near
the head of Pugsley Creek and discovered a variety of primitive stone
tools, including some which appear to have been crafted as far away
as New Jersey. In 1988 Soundview Associates, which was building the
Shorehaven housing development adjacent to the park, constructed a
ballfield and several facilities for passive recreation at the southern
end of park, now known as Clason Point Park. A third property, at
the corner of Lacombe and Screvin Avenues, was added to Pugsley Creek
Park in 1989. With the support of area residents, Parks developed
Gus's Garden (named after a local gardener who supported the project)
on a former dumping ground near the corner of Gildersleeve and Betts
Avenues in 1996. The fourth parcel of land at Pugsley Creek Park was
acquired on February 22, 1999, when Parks obtained jurisdiction over
the site of a former sewage treatment plant near the northern end
of Pugsley Creek. As a growing park, Pugsley Creek Park has remained
largely undeveloped. However, its rich history and scenic location
ensure that it will remain a valued public place.
Sunday, Aug 08, 1999