67-687: Stonewall National Monument is a 7.7-acre (340,000 sq ft; 31,000 m) U.S. national monument in the West Village neighborhood of Greenwich Village in Lower Manhattan , New York City . The designated area includes the Stonewall Inn , the 0.19-acre (8,300 sq ft; 770 m) Christopher Park, and nearby streets including Christopher Street , the site of the Stonewall riots of June 28, 1969, widely regarded as
134-472: A national monument is a protected area that can be created from any land owned or controlled by the federal government by proclamation of the president of the United States or an act of Congress. National monuments protect a wide variety of natural and historic resources, including sites of geologic, marine, archaeological, and cultural importance. The Antiquities Act of 1906 gives presidents
201-408: A park originally built on a lot that New Netherland Director-General Wouter van Twiller settled as a tobacco farm from 1633 to 1638, when he died. The land was subsequently split up into three different farms. Trinity Church 's and Elbert Herring's farms were located in the southern part of van Twiller's former farm, and Sir Peter Warren 's farm was located in the northern portion. Because of
268-619: A $ 21 million settlement to avoid going to trial. The department maintains an enforcement division, called the Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP), responsible for maintaining safety and security within the parks system. Parks Enforcement Patrol officers are employed as nyc special patrolmen and have very limited peace officer status under NYS Penal Law, they are empowered through this status to make arrests and issue summons for park related offenses at new york city parks only. PEP officers patrol land, waterways and buildings under
335-643: A Request for Bids (RFB) or Request for Proposals (RFP). Yorkville Sports Association (YSA) for three years operated the New City Parks Softball Concession that contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to the City's General Fund. Approximately 500 concessions currently operate in parks throughout the five boroughs, and they generally fall into two categories: food service and recreation. The food service concessions range from pushcarts selling hot dogs to restaurants such as Tavern on
402-764: A citizen and cannot make arrests. For this reason a typical patrol will include a PEP Officer and an Auxiliary Officer. By combining the two, the manpower of the Parks Enforcement Patrol is significantly increased at no cost to the city. Should the team come upon a situation requiring enforcement, the PEP Officer can deal with it while the Auxiliary Officer covers the Officer's back and radios the situation to Parks Central and if needed will ask for additional help. " Urban Park Rangers and Associate Urban Park Rangers (Sergeants) are represented by DC37 Local 983 ,
469-562: A civil service employees union. The union is currently headed by President Joseph Puleo. The PEP also have a security trained service that provide participants with experience needed for future employment in the private sector. The Urban Park Rangers was founded as a pilot program in 1979 by then Parks Commissioner Gordon J. Davis, with the support and encouragement of Mayor Ed Koch . The program provides many free programs year-round, such as nature walks and activities. They also operate programs such as The Natural Classroom for class trips and
536-478: A donation of lands acquired by John D. Rockefeller Jr. , for addition to Grand Teton National Park after Congress had declined to authorize this park expansion. Roosevelt's proclamation unleashed a storm of criticism about use of the Antiquities Act to circumvent Congress. A bill abolishing Jackson Hole National Monument passed Congress but was vetoed by Roosevelt, and Congressional and court challenges to
603-712: A fifth in the Atlantic Ocean, the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument . On June 24, 2016, Obama designated the Stonewall Inn and surrounding areas in Greenwich Village , New York as the Stonewall National Monument , the first national monument commemorating the movement for LGBT rights in the United States . Obama's establishments included several others recognizing civil rights history, including
670-477: A major Alaska lands bill. Congress passed a revised version of the bill in 1980 incorporating most of these national monuments into national parks and preserves , but the act also curtailed further use of the proclamation authority in Alaska. Carter's 1978 proclamations included Misty Fjords and Admiralty Island National Monuments in the U.S. Forest Service and Becharof and Yukon Flats National Monuments in
737-582: A paramilitary model, There are seven titles (referred to as ranks) in the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, Parks Enforcement Patrol: New York City park enforcement officers are special patrolmen in connection with special duties of employment. They have very limited Peace Officers authority pursuant to New York State Criminal Procedure Law § 2.10(27) as listed in Chapter 13 subsection (C): Special Patrolmen. Begun in 1996
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#1732765350332804-665: A park patrol force in hopes of having a full-time force established, Commissioner Hennessy created volunteer park inspectors (later called "Auxiliary Park Inspectors") to patrol the Bronx parks during the day. According to his "1919 annual report of the Department of Parks", the first park inspector he appointed was Inspector William Blackie. Inspector Blackie was injured on Columbus Day 1919 while attempting to arrest two men poaching song birds in Van Cortlandt Park . Despite
871-525: A precedent for the use of the Antiquities Act to preserve large areas. Federal courts have since rejected every challenge to the president's use of Antiquities Act preservation authority, ruling that the law gives the president exclusive discretion over the determination of the size and nature of the objects protected. In 1918, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Katmai National Monument in Alaska , comprising more than 1,000,000 acres (4,000 km ). Katmai
938-794: A useful life of more than five years and cost at least $ 35,000. Its regulations are compiled in Title 56 of the New York City Rules . The original Parks Commission was formed in 1856 and was responsible only for Central Park . In 1870 the Tweed Charter gave it jurisdiction for all the parks in Manhattan. In addition, each borough had its independent Park Commission. The history of the Park Enforcement Patrol Officers can be traced back to 1919, when
1005-525: Is Susan Donoghue, who was appointed on February 4, 2022. The current chair of the New York City Council Committee on Parks & Recreation is Shekar Krishnan . The department is allocated an expense budget and a capital budget. The expense budget covers the total expenses incurred by the agency, including salaries. The capital budget is dedicated solely for new construction projects, as well as major repairs in parks that have
1072-486: Is ever present. It can never be checked until the Parks Department has a force of keepers with police authority" and he recommended that the "Park protectors should be under control of Park Commissioners absolutely". In 1920, legislature was passed for the creation of a force of park keepers for NYC parks but the city refused to approve it and authorize funding. In an effort to show the mayor the effectiveness of
1139-475: The Bronx , is budgeted at $ 3.25 million and includes tree houses for children, bike racks, a sprinkler system for summer recreation, and a mini-state. The New York City Department of Parks and Recreations maintains facilities and provides services through a network of public service workers, volunteers, and partnerships with private organizations. The momentum for private partnerships increased dramatically during
1206-767: The Bureau of Land Management , and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (in the case of marine national monuments). Historically, some national monuments were managed by the War Department . President Theodore Roosevelt used the Antiquities Act to declare Devils Tower in Wyoming as the first U.S. national monument. The Antiquities Act authorized permits for legitimate archaeological investigations and penalties for taking or destroying antiquities without permission. Additionally, it authorized
1273-545: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 ; according to the complaint, the NYC Parks' senior managers sought out and promoted whites to management positions without announcing job openings for those positions or conducting any formal interview processes. The complaint also said that since at least 1995, minorities have been significantly under-represented in NYC Parks' managerial ranks. In 2008, the City of New York agreed to pay
1340-580: The César E. Chávez , Belmont–Paul Women's Equality , Freedom Riders , and Birmingham Civil Rights National Monuments . In December 2017, President Donald Trump substantially reduced the sizes of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monuments , removing protections on about 2.8 million acres of land where mining could resume. Three lawsuits challenged the legality of this action in federal court, and in October 2021, President Joe Biden reversed
1407-662: The Fish and Wildlife Service , the first to be created outside of the National Park Service. The latter two became national wildlife refuges in 1980. The proclamation authority was not used again anywhere until 1996, when President Bill Clinton proclaimed the Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument in Utah , after many years of unsuccessful advocacy by conservationists to protect parts of
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#17327653503321474-655: The Grand Canyon as a national monument. In response to Roosevelt's declaration of the Grand Canyon monument, a putative mining claimant sued in federal court, claiming that Roosevelt had overstepped the Antiquities Act authority by protecting an entire canyon. In 1920, the United States Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Grand Canyon was indeed "an object of historic or scientific interest" and could be protected by proclamation, setting
1541-527: The London plane and a maple leaf. It is prominently featured on signs and buildings in public parks across the city. The London plane tree is on NYC Parks' list of restricted use species for street tree planting because it constitutes more than 10% of all street trees. The department is a mayoral agency, headed by a commissioner who reports to the Deputy Mayor of Operations. The current Parks Commissioner
1608-551: The New York City Police Department (NYPD) was reportedly accepting once-monthly bribes in exchange for allowing the tavern to go unlicensed. On June 27, 1969, the NYPD conducted a raid on the inn, now operating as a gay bar , under the pretense that the inn did not have a liquor license. Riots started in the ensuing days, where thousands of rioters protested against the NYPD's raid. The riots solidified
1675-632: The New York City Police Department , and Parks Enforcement Patrol officers. The Community Parks Initiative was launched in 2014 and is providing $ 318 million of capital funding to improve more than 60 parks mainly located in densely populated neighborhoods where there are significant rates of poverty. The park improvements, such as Ranaqua Park in the South Bronx , consist of playground equipment, lighting, seating areas, water fountains, synthetic turn fields, trees and greenery, and rain gardens to collect storm water. The Longfellow Park renovation, also in
1742-489: The Parks Department or NYC Parks , is the department of the government of New York City responsible for maintaining the city's parks system, preserving and maintaining the ecological diversity of the city's natural areas, and furnishing recreational opportunities for city's residents and visitors. NYC Parks maintains more than 1,700 public spaces, including parks, playgrounds and recreational facilities, across
1809-484: The Staten Island Greenbelt . NYC Parks produces many special events, including concerts and movie premieres. In the summer, the busiest season, the agency organizes free carnivals and concerts, and sends mobile recreation vans to travel throughout the five boroughs providing free rental equipment for skating, baseball, and miniature golf . The symbol of the department is a cross between the leaf of
1876-560: The American West. The reference in the act to "objects of ... scientific interest" enabled President Theodore Roosevelt to make a natural geological feature, Devils Tower in Wyoming , the first national monument three months later. Among the next three monuments he proclaimed in 1906 was Petrified Forest in Arizona , another natural feature. In 1908, Roosevelt used the act to proclaim more than 800,000 acres (3,200 km ) of
1943-516: The Green and Terrace on the Park . Recreational concessions include facilities such as ice rinks, stables, marinas, and golf courses. In fiscal year 2009, NYC Parks' Revenue Division helped collect over $ 110 million in revenue from various sources including concessions, lease agreements, like those for Citi Field and Yankee Stadium , special events, and dockage. At the turn of the 20th century most of
2010-625: The Interior Sally Jewell ; and the Stonewall Inn's owners. Some attendees saw the dedication as important because the Orlando, Florida, nightclub shooting , which had occurred two weeks prior to the dedication, had claimed the lives of 49 people, many of them gay Latino Americans . The national monument encompasses a 7.7-acre (340,000 sq ft; 31,000 m) area that includes the Stonewall Inn, Christopher Street Park,
2077-541: The NYC Parks Enforcement Patrol Mounted Auxiliary Unit is a volunteer unit within the department. This unit is made up of private citizens who volunteer their time by working with officers of the Parks Enforcement Patrol. Auxiliary officers patrol in uniform and on horseback in various NYC parks, and "ensure the preservation of the natural and living resources in the city's parks, as well as the safety of those utilizing
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2144-996: The Pacific Ocean, the largest in the system: the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument , the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument , the Marianas Marine National Monument , and the Rose Atoll Marine National Monument . They are managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration overseeing the fisheries. President Barack Obama significantly expanded two of them and added
2211-482: The Stonewall Inn's status as a gay icon. The park also played a significant role in the riots—people had gathered at the park the morning after the first day of rioting, discussing the events of the previous day. The park itself was in dire need of renovation, and so in the 1970s, the Friends of Christopher Park, which consisted entirely of volunteers mainly from the surrounding community, was created in order to oversee
2278-758: The Volunteers and the Professional Officers. Since inception it has provided several hundred thousand dollars towards the operation of the Mounted Unit, including the Capital Construction of a new barn. Former Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe was quoted as saying "there is some doubt that the Parks Department could afford to run a mounted unit without the Mounted Auxiliary." Auxiliary officers do not have powers beyond
2345-704: The area. This was the first national monument managed by the Bureau of Land Management . This action was unpopular in Utah, and bills were introduced to further restrict the president's authority, none of which have been enacted. Most of the 16 national monuments created by President Clinton are managed not by the National Park Service, but by the Bureau of Land Management as part of the National Landscape Conservation System . President George W. Bush created four marine national monuments in
2412-417: The block of Christopher Street bordering the park, and segments of some adjacent streets. Only the park was transferred to NPS ownership. The National Park Foundation formed a new nonprofit organization to raise $ 2 million in funds for a ranger station, visitor center, community activities, and interpretive exhibits for the monument. In October 2017, a rainbow LGBT flag was raised on the monument, making it
2479-629: The buildings on Christopher Street were dense with people. In 1835, the Great Fire of New York spread through the area and destroyed many city blocks. The little triangle of land bounded by Christopher, Grove, and 4th Streets , which was burned down, was condemned and turned into a park. The new Christopher Street Park, designed by architects Calvert Vaux and Samuel Parsons Jr. , was opened in 1837. The Stonewall Inn , which then consisted simply of two adjacent stables , opened across Christopher Street in 1843. The widening of 7th Avenue South , and
2546-413: The changes. The restoration of the monuments has been challenged in court in an attempt to attack the Antiquities Act. President Biden's proclamations establishing and expanding monuments often incorporated consultation with Native American tribes for management and planning. New York City Department of Parks and Recreation The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation , also called
2613-494: The city's five boroughs . It is responsible for over 1,000 playgrounds , 800 playing fields, 550 tennis courts , 35 major recreation centers, 66 pools, 14 miles (23 km) of beaches, and 13 golf courses , as well as seven nature centers, six ice skating rinks , over 2,000 greenstreets, and four major stadiums . NYC Parks also cares for park flora and fauna, community gardens, 23 historic houses, over 1,200 statues and monuments, and more than 2.5 million trees. The total area of
2680-435: The concept of the Parks Enforcement Patrol was first thought of by Bronx Parks Commissioner Joe Hennessy, who reported in the "1919 Annual Report of the Department of Parks" the "necessity of a proper protective force" to be established. The following year in his 1920 annual report to the mayor, Commissioner Hennessy once again pushed for a full-time park police force. On page 16 of the 1920 annual report, he wrote that "Vandalism
2747-581: The construction of the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line of the New York City Subway , effectively split the neighborhood into two pieces, separated by the now-widened avenue. By the 1940s, the area had deteriorated somewhat as people moved away. During the 1950s, the social demographics changed as " Beat poets" moved into Greenwich Village. Meanwhile, the Stonewall Inn had changed uses; many different restaurants were housed in
Stonewall National Monument - Misplaced Pages Continue
2814-598: The first city landmark to commemorate an LGBT icon. The designation prompted Greenwich Village residents to lobby for the inn and the adjacent park to be labeled a national monument . Some members of Manhattan Community Board 2 wrote a letter to the National Park Service (NPS) to request such a status for the Stonewall site. The GVSHP also supported a national monument designation for the site. In 2016, The Trust for Public Land helped New York City prepare
2881-593: The first official national visitors center dedicated to the LGBTQ+ experience to open anywhere in the world. Numerous politicians and celebrities participated in the inauguration ceremonies, and the New York City Subway 's Christopher Street–Sheridan Square station was renamed the Christopher Street–Stonewall station on the same day. National Monument (United States) In the United States ,
2948-495: The first officially maintained LGBT flag at a federal monument. The LGBT+ rights organization Pride Live tried to develop a visitor center for the monument for several years after its designation. Pride Live began negotiating with the owner of the property at 51 Christopher Street in 2019; that building included a vacant storefront that had formerly been part of the inn. The building was placed for sale in June 2021, but Pride Live and
3015-420: The general public alike. "Explorer" programs are available for activities such as canoeing in the city's flagship parks in all five boroughs. NYC Urban Park Rangers are easily identified by their uniforms. Although NYC Park Rangers possess peace officer status, their primary mission is environmental education, protection of park resources, and visitor safety. Law enforcement in city parks is the responsibility of
3082-597: The inn from the 1930s through 1966. In 1966, the Stonewall Inn Restaurant—which had been located within the inn since the 1950s—closed for renovations due to a fire that devastated the space. The restaurant re-opened as a tavern on March 18, 1967, under ownership of the Genovese crime family of the Mafia . The tavern was breaking rules on the sale of liquor , as it had no liquor license , but one officer of
3149-589: The jurisdiction of the Department of Parks and Recreation on foot, bicycle, horseback, boat and marked patrol trucks. PEP officers are also responsible for physical site inspections of NYC park concession facilities to assure the concessionaires compliance with state laws. The New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency whose mission is to provided police patrol service and investigate all crimes that occur within New York City which includes parks areas and facilities. Following
3216-496: The mayoralty of Michael Bloomberg . Often the initiatives of Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe were controversial. Most businesses that operate or generate revenue on New York City parkland are considered concessions and must obtain a permit or license from the Revenue Division of Parks. Pursuant to the City's Concession Rules, these licenses and permits are generally awarded through a public solicitation process, such as
3283-548: The objection of the New York City Police Department , Commissioner Hennessy established the first Park Patrol Harbor unit when he obtained two small motor boats from the Navy which he immediately put into service and had park staff patrol the waterways of the Hutchinson River . In 1922, Commissioner Henessy (through his annual report) requested the mayor to establish special magistrates to deal with park related violations
3350-595: The park include two 1936 works that commemorated American Civil War fighters: a pole that honors the Fire Zouaves , as well as a statue made of bronze that honors Union general Philip Sheridan . The park is surrounded by a fence that dates back to at least the late 19th century. In 2023, Randy Wicker launched a petition to remove the General Phil Sheridan statue from the park because of "Sheridan's massacre of Indigenous people." Meanwhile, across
3417-711: The park's upkeep. In 1983, NYC Parks embarked on a three-year, $ 130,000 project (equivalent to $ 397,688 in 2023) to rebuild the park to its original condition. Architect Philip Winslow planted new greenery and replaced the park's benches, walkways, light fixtures, and gates. In 1992, the Gay Liberation statue by George Segal was placed in Christopher Park, mirroring a near-identical statue at Stanford University . The statue consists of four white figures (two standing men and two seated women) positioned in "natural, easy" poses. Non-LGBT-related monuments in
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#17327653503323484-461: The parks, by maintaining a clearly visible presence. They monitor areas that are not accessible by vehicle; they deter, identify and report illegal or unsafe activities that require Parks Enforcement Patrol or police attention; and they advise the public on park rules and regulations." As an IRS 501C Corporation, the Auxiliary solicits funding to purchase horses, tack and provide training for both
3551-459: The power to proclaim national monuments by executive action. In contrast, national parks in the U.S. must be created by Congressional legislation. Some national monuments were first created by presidential action and later designated as national parks by congressional approval. The 134 national monuments are managed by several federal agencies: the National Park Service , United States Forest Service , United States Fish and Wildlife Service ,
3618-940: The president to proclaim "historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest" on federal lands as national monuments, "the limits of which in all cases shall be confined to the smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the objects to be protected." Presidents have used the Antiquities Act's proclamation authority not only to create new national monuments but to enlarge existing ones. For example, Franklin D. Roosevelt significantly enlarged Dinosaur National Monument in 1938. Lyndon B. Johnson added Ellis Island to Statue of Liberty National Monument in 1965, and Jimmy Carter made major additions to Glacier Bay and Katmai National Monuments in 1978. The Antiquities Act of 1906 resulted from concerns about protecting mostly prehistoric Native American ruins and artifacts (collectively termed "antiquities") on federal lands in
3685-512: The proclamation authority were mounted. In 1950, Congress finally incorporated most of the monument into Grand Teton National Park, but the act doing so barred further use of the proclamation authority in Wyoming except for areas of 5,000 acres or less. The most substantial use of the proclamation authority came in 1978, when President Jimmy Carter proclaimed 17 new national monuments in Alaska after Congress had adjourned without passing
3752-517: The properties maintained by the department is over 30,000 acres (120 km ). The largest single component of parkland maintained by the department is the 2,765-acre (1,119 ha) Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx. Other large parks administered by NYC Parks include Central Park in Manhattan, Prospect Park in Brooklyn, Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, and
3819-492: The property for transfer. The Trust for Public Land worked with the NPS and NYC Parks to preserve the Stonewall Inn and recast Christopher Park as the Stonewall National Monument. On June 24, 2016, President Barack Obama officially designated the Stonewall National Monument, making it the United States' first national monument designated for an LGBT historic site. The dedication ceremony was attended by New York City mayor Bill de Blasio ; Senator Kirsten Gillibrand ; Secretary of
3886-449: The property owner ultimately came to an agreement. In June 2022, Pride Live announced that it would build the visitor center at 51 Christopher Street. MBB Architects was hired to design the visitor center, while Local Projects was responsible for designing the exhibits. Pride Live raised $ 3.2 million for its construction and development and plans to operate the center in cooperation with the NPS. The visitor center opened on June 28, 2024, as
3953-403: The same day the violator was arrested, provide police authority to the parks commissioners (each borough had a commissioner), and provide funding for a park patrol unit because the New York City Police officers "detailed to the Bronx parks in the summer on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays are not anxious to serve summonses or enforce the ordinances" A unified citywide New York City Parks Department
4020-527: The staffing of New York City parks were patronage jobs. In the 1950s and 1960s, public sector unions organized most park workers which was considered at the time the first major political defeat of Robert Moses . During the city's fiscal crisis in the 1970s, the Department of Parks and Recreation City adapted practices such as using welfare recipients and volunteers to do work previously completed by unionized workers and to forge partnerships with nonprofit organizations and local sports leagues. Yorkville Sports (YSA)
4087-420: The start of the modern LGBT rights movement in the United States . Stonewall National Monument is the first U.S. national monument dedicated to LGBTQ rights and history . President Barack Obama designated it as a national monument on June 24, 2016. Stonewall National Monument includes and surrounds the 0.19-acre (8,300 sq ft; 770 m) Christopher Park (also known as Christopher Street Park),
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#17327653503324154-409: The street, the Stonewall Inn had changed hands many times from 1969 to the 1990s, finally resuming the role of a gay bar by the 1990s. In 1999, David Carter, Andrew Dolkart, Gale Harris, and Jay Shockley researched and wrote the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) report for Stonewall, which was officially sponsored by the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation . When the listing
4221-417: The unusual street grid that already existed in much of Greenwich Village, the Commissioners' Plan of 1811 would not quite fit into the pre-existing street grid. This resulted in several blocks with oblique angles, as well as many triangular street blocks. The former farms of Christopher Street were split into small lots from 1789 to 1829. After a subsequent large population increase in the early 19th century,
4288-421: Was designated on June 29, 1999, it included the Stonewall Inn building, Christopher Park, and nearby streets. It became the nation's first NRHP listing, out of more than 70,000 listings at the time, dedicated exclusively to LGBT accomplishments. That same area was declared a National Historic Landmark on February 16, 2000. On June 23, 2015, the Stonewall Inn became a New York City designated landmark , making it
4355-437: Was formed in 1934 with Robert Moses as the commissioner, a position he held until 1960. In 1968 it was reorganized as the "Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs Administration. In 1976 it was given its current name. In 2001, the department underwent an investigation after the U.S. Attorney's Office received complaints from employees that they had suffered employment discrimination. The lawsuit alleged that NYC Parks violated
4422-550: Was later enlarged to nearly 2,800,000 acres (11,000 km ) by subsequent Antiquities Act proclamations and for many years was the largest national park system unit. Petrified Forest , Grand Canyon , and Great Sand Dunes , among several other national parks , were also originally proclaimed as national monuments and later designated national parks by Congress. Substantial opposition did not materialize until 1943, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Jackson Hole National Monument in Wyoming . He did this to accept
4489-579: Was one of those that helped maintain athletic fields prior to use and assumed responsibilities previously handled by the public sector. During this time the Central Park Conservancy and the Prospect Park Alliance were formed. GreenThumb was created in 1978 to utilize vacant city owned land as garden spaces. By 1989 there were over 1,000 gardens. In the 1990s the program contracted as gardens were repurposed to build housing. Currently, there are over 550 gardens supported by GreenThumb. Since 1934, when New York City Parks Department Commissioners were unified,
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