A Brief History of Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park:
|
|-Originally named "Keakatis"
|
Colonial + Revolutionary times: Called "Crom Pond" - |
|- (1781-1782): French General Rochambeau
| -Army escaped near lake
| -Increased Output Near Lake
|
(1800's): Several Farms + Dairy Farms- |
however, these Farms |
weren't wooded. |
|
|
|-(1900): Land Acquired by New York State to (South of
| use as a NYS Training School for Boys Mohegan Lake)
(1909): Several Farms Purchased by NYS, |
including Henry Strang's |
(North of Mohansic State Hospital |
Mohegan Lake) (600 Acres/ Plans 6000 "inmates") |
|-(1911): NY Central's Putnum Division
| constructs Mohansic Branch
(1913): July 4th Murder Takes Place at | (Yorktown Branch -> Mohegan Lake)
Mohansic State Hospital |
-Young Attendant Blugeoned |
to death while asleep |- NYC expresses concern over possible
| pollution of their water supply in the
| hospital/school adjacent to the lake
(1917): October 10th. First Public Meeting |
of the Joint Legislative Commitee |-(1918): Plans for Hospital and School
| abandoned
|
|
After World War II: Park used as a storage |
base for large quantities of valuable war |
surplus for War Department |-(1922): Mohansic Lake Reservation sold to
| West County for $1.00.
| (It becomes the first park in the WC Park
(1923): New Nursery Started, containing | System, now named "Mohansic Park")
200,000 evergreens (pines,spruces)|
to be transferred to West parks and|
parkway |
|
-First Westchester Play Day held in |
the park on September 15th |-(1925):- Railroad Abandoned
| - Golf Course Opens
(1927): Bronx River Parkway Extended (1927-1932) |
(20.7 Miles) |
|-(1935): Civilian Conservation Corps, "CCC"
| (50,000 Members, 2,600 Camps)
(1936): Surplus trees distributed to community |
|-(1942): Enter World War II; Camps end abruptly
| Army takes over park. It was first used as an
| Army base, then as a rest/rehabilitation area
| for U.S./British servicemen fighting in the war.
|
War Ends|
|-(1946): Mohansic Barracks given to Peekskill
| Vets to relieve Housing Shortage
| (Used as a Summer Camp)
(1950s): Rec. Hall used as a community center |
Used for Square Dancing-Was Burned |
|-(1957): Covernor Harriman Signs a bill returning
| parklands east of Taconic State Parkway
| to New York State
| -Becomes Mohansic State Park
(1958): Downing Park- Bill grants 25 acres|
to the Town of Yorktown |
|-(1982): State Renames the park upon the
| centennial of FDR's birth
For More Information, Be Sure to Visit our Monthly Meetings!
