Search Carpe City
Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
Subscribe

James J. Walker Park

New York City

Art & Culture | History

A Park Named for a Player Who was Also the Mayor

Jimmy Walker Park Firefighter memorial
Jimmy Walker Park Horse Head
Jimmy Walker Park Bocce Ball
Jimmy Walker Park Firefighter memorial
Previous
Next
  • 9 St. Lukes Place, New York, NY 10014
  • (212) 639-9675
  • https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/james-j-walker-park/

About James J. Walker Park

 & why it made the Carpe City list

  • Jimmy Walker, the corrupt mayor of New York City from 1926 to 1932, loved drinking, carousing, and chasing showgirls, yet the public loved him. 
    • After his 1946 death, Hudson Park, near his house at 6 St. Luke’s Place, was renamed in his honor. 
  • James J. Walker Park was originally a cemetery for St. John’s Chapel, part of the famous Trinityparish.   
    • The burial ground was for middle and lower class parishioners.   
    • Edgar Allen Poe used to roam the small peaceful cemetery.   
  • In 1896, the city acquired the burial ground using Eminent Domain and allowed family members a short time to retrieve bodies.   
  • Fewer than 1,000 of the 10,000 bodies were retrieved.  The rest remain there today.  The only remnant of the cemetery is a marble sarcophagus honoring fallen firefighters from the 1800s. 
  • The park features one bocce ball court that is a supposed homage to the Italian heritage of the neighborhood. Another cool feature of the park is the old horsehead hitching posts near the playground.   

Carpe City Trivia

Jimmy Walker Park isn't the only burial ground turned park in New York City

There are several; Union Square, Bryant Park, Washington Square Park, and Madison Square Park are all built atop old burial sites.  

By: Lucie Levine and Cyd Sacks
  • 9 St. Lukes Place, New York, NY 10014
  • (212) 639-9675
  • https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/james-j-walker-park/

New York City Tours

Great Places Near James J. Walker Park

11 st lukes place timothy leary greenwich village history
History

Timothy Leary

Where Communism and Counterculture collide with The FBI!

11 St Lukes Place, New York, NY 10014
Greenwich Village
St Lukes place facade greenwich village
Art & Culture

St. Luke's Place

Beautiful Tree-Lined Street with Serious Historical Celebrity Cachet

6 St. Lukes Place, New York, NY 10014
Greenwich Village
Jimmy Walker House greenwich village history
History

Jimmy Walker House

Historic Home of One of New York's Most Notorious Mayors

6 St Lukes Pl, New York, NY 10014
Greenwich Village
keith haring mural street art greenwich village
Art & Culture

Keith Haring Mural

Impressive Mural in an Obscure Locale by the Famous Pop Artist

1 Clarkson St, New York, NY 10014
Greenwich Village
Little branch exterior greenwich village bar
Bars

Little Branch

A Little Brown Door Leads to Some of the Best Cocktails in the City

22 7th Ave S, New York, NY 10014
Greenwich Village
Cherry lane theater greenwich village
Art & Culture

Cherry Lane Theater

An Exceptional Spot for Off-Broadway Theater

38 Commerce St, New York, NY 10014
Greenwich Village
isaac hentricks house greenwich village
Art & Culture

Isaacs-Hendricks Oldest House

The Oldest Home in Greenwich Village

77 Bedford St, New York, NY 10014
Greenwich Village
Skinny Edna exterior greenwich village
Art & Culture

Skinny House on Bedford Street

This House is Long on History but Short on Space

75 1/2 Bedford St, New York, NY 10014
Greenwich Village
81 bedford street cia safehouse greenwich village
History

CIA House

Location of Some Trippy Experiments

81 Bedford St, New York, NY 10014
Greenwich Village

More Great Walking Tours

  • info@carpecity.com

Search our Site

Our Company

Subscribe

Be in the know about all of the latest and greatest places!

© 2022 Icebreaker Entertainment, LLC All rights reserved

Twitter Facebook-f Pinterest Instagram

Subscribe

Sign up to our monthly e-mail about the latest and greatest places for food, wine art and history

No thanks.
Skip to content