Hamilton Fish Park Pool
Encyclopedia
Hamilton Fish Park Pool was built by the New York City Parks Department using Works Progress Administration
funds. It opened in June 1936. Located in the Lower East Side
, the facility includes extensive facilities for filtering and purifying water, underwater lighting, and separate diving and wading pools. The largest pool has a main swimming area measuring 330 feet in length, with a width of 165 feet. The pool, situated at East Houston Street and Pitt Street, cost $1,000,000 to build. The park and pool are named after Hamilton Fish
, a 19th century politician who grew up in the neighborhood.
features an impressive Beaux Arts brick and limestone gymnasium pavilion designed by Carrère and Hastings
and inspired by the Petit Palais
in Paris. The pavilion was designated as a New York City Landmark in 1982. A year after the park opened its grounds were damaged and it closed. In 1903 a more genuine park opened with asphalt walks, an eight lane running track, basketball, and tennis courts.
, a Yale University
swimmer and Oxford University water polo
team captain, is responsible for building the Hamilton Fish Park Pool. He was New York City's first park's commissioner.
The Hamilton Park Pool has a bathhouse capacity of 2,200, with a main pool measuring 100 by 165 feet. The recreational development occupied the majority of Hamilton Fish Park. The park encompasses two
blocks bounded by Houston, Pitt, Sheriff Street, and Stanton Street
. The pool's designers hoped to
reduce swimming in the disease-ridden East River
and keep children off the streets.
Hamilton Park diving pool was built in the shape of semicircle, with its deepest water being eleven feet six inches. It is surrounded by a red tile promenade measuring 25 feet in width. A main swimming tank extends toward Sheriff Street. Scum gutters on the main tank and diving pool are made of blue-glazed terra cotta
.
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
funds. It opened in June 1936. Located in the Lower East Side
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
, the facility includes extensive facilities for filtering and purifying water, underwater lighting, and separate diving and wading pools. The largest pool has a main swimming area measuring 330 feet in length, with a width of 165 feet. The pool, situated at East Houston Street and Pitt Street, cost $1,000,000 to build. The park and pool are named after Hamilton Fish
Hamilton Fish
Hamilton Fish was an American statesman and politician who served as the 16th Governor of New York, United States Senator and United States Secretary of State. Fish has been considered one of the best Secretary of States in the United States history; known for his judiciousness and reform efforts...
, a 19th century politician who grew up in the neighborhood.
Park history
The pool represented the third stage in the development of Hamilton Fish Park, which was designed in 1898. The park opened in 1900, andfeatures an impressive Beaux Arts brick and limestone gymnasium pavilion designed by Carrère and Hastings
Carrère and Hastings
Carrère and Hastings, the firm of John Merven Carrère and Thomas Hastings , located in New York City, was one of the outstanding Beaux-Arts architecture firms in the United States. The partnership operated from 1885 until 1911, when Carrère was killed in an automobile accident...
and inspired by the Petit Palais
Petit Palais
The Petit Palais is a museum in Paris, France. Built for the Universal Exhibition in 1900 to Charles Girault's designs, it now houses the City of Paris Museum of Fine Arts ....
in Paris. The pavilion was designated as a New York City Landmark in 1982. A year after the park opened its grounds were damaged and it closed. In 1903 a more genuine park opened with asphalt walks, an eight lane running track, basketball, and tennis courts.
Pool design
Robert MosesRobert Moses
Robert Moses was the "master builder" of mid-20th century New York City, Long Island, Rockland County, and Westchester County, New York. As the shaper of a modern city, he is sometimes compared to Baron Haussmann of Second Empire Paris, and is one of the most polarizing figures in the history of...
, a Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
swimmer and Oxford University water polo
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
team captain, is responsible for building the Hamilton Fish Park Pool. He was New York City's first park's commissioner.
The Hamilton Park Pool has a bathhouse capacity of 2,200, with a main pool measuring 100 by 165 feet. The recreational development occupied the majority of Hamilton Fish Park. The park encompasses two
blocks bounded by Houston, Pitt, Sheriff Street, and Stanton Street
Stanton Street
Stanton Street is a west-to-east running street in the New York City borough of Manhattan, in the neighborhood of the Lower East Side. It begins at Bowery, one block south of Houston Street at the corner of the infamous Sunshine Motel...
. The pool's designers hoped to
reduce swimming in the disease-ridden East River
East River
The East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland...
and keep children off the streets.
Hamilton Park diving pool was built in the shape of semicircle, with its deepest water being eleven feet six inches. It is surrounded by a red tile promenade measuring 25 feet in width. A main swimming tank extends toward Sheriff Street. Scum gutters on the main tank and diving pool are made of blue-glazed terra cotta
Terra cotta
Terracotta, Terra cotta or Terra-cotta is a clay-based unglazed ceramic, although the term can also be applied to glazed ceramics where the fired body is porous and red in color...
.