Glen Island Park

Glen Island Park

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Glen Island

Geography
Location	Long Island Sound
Coordinates	40°53′07″N 73°47′02″W / 40.8852°N 73.7838°W / 40.8852; -73.7838Coordinates: 40°53′07″N 73°47′02″W / 40.8852°N 73.7838°W / 40.8852; -73.7838
Area	105 acres (42 ha)
Country
United States
State	New York
County	Westchester County
City	New Rochelle

Glen Island Park is a 105-acre (0.42 km²) park, located on an island in Long Island Sound. The park is owned and operated by Westchester County and shares Glen Island with a privately operated but county-owned entertainment facility, the Glen Island Harbour Club.^[1] (formerly the Glen Island Casino).

Contents

 [show] 

• 1 History
  • 1.1 Starin's 'Glen Island'
• 2 References
• 3 External links

History[edit source | edit]

Starin's 'Glen Island'[edit source | edit]

Glen Island castle

Glen Island Harbour Club, former Glen Island Casino

In 1879 former U.S. Congressman John H. Starin bought Glen Island and four nearby islands. He gave Glen Island its name and converted the islands into a summer resort for city dwellers that has been called "the first theme park."^[2] The islands were connected by causeways and piers and each island featured a different international theme.^[3] Steamships transported visitors from New York City to the park.^[4] The park, which opened in 1881, attracted thousands of people daily, included among its attractions a bathing beach, a natural history museum, a zoo, A German beer garden and castle, musical entertainment, and a Chinese pagoda.^[2][5]

In 1923 Westchester County acquired the site, which is now a public recreational park.^[3]