Crocheron Park

214 Pl., 214 La., 215 Pl, Cross Island Pkwy. bet. 33 Ave. and 35 Ave.

Queens

This text is part of Parks’ Historical Signs Project and can be found posted within the park.

What was here before?

This was the site of Crocheron House, a hotel built in the 1850s on the shores of the Little Neck Bay, that was a popular destination for politicians and celebrities. The Crocheron House burned down in 1907, and the estate remained unused and undeveloped for almost 20 years.

In the days when the Tweed Ring ruled city government (1866-1871), this park was known as a political gathering place. The infamous William “Boss” Tweed (1823-1878) knew the area well and took refuge here after he escaped from the Ludlow Street Jail in 1875.

How did this site become a park?