Owl's Head Park — Attraction in New York

The Canarsie lived in and around present-day Owl’s Head Park, fishing in the Hudson River and New York Harbor, collecting oysters on the shore, and farming the fertile outwash plain. The first Europeans to settle this land were of Dutch descent. They established Yellow Hook, an agricultural community named for the yellow clay that leached from the shore into the water. Among these farmers who purchased land that is now part of the park was Swaen Janse, a formerly enslaved person.

Concerned that Yellow Hook reminded people of the yellow fever epidemic, in 1853 a group of citizens renamed the community Bay Ridge for the prominent geological features of the area. Owl’s Head Park is located on a terminal moraine that extends from New Jersey to the end of Long Island. A moraine marks the place where the 10,000-year-old Wisconsin glacier deposited boulders, rocks, soil, and debris. The rich soil provides nutrients to the venerable trees that can be found on the property which include pines, locusts, oaks, maples, corks, beeches, and one S-shaped tulip poplar that defies gravity. They are a great backdrop to the magnificent vistas of the narrows and New York Harbor.

A native of Brooklyn, Henry C. Murphy (1810-1882) built his estate along the glacial ridge where the park is today. The son of Irish immigrants, Murphy’s political career included terms as Mayor of Brooklyn, U.S. Representative, U.S. Minister to the Hague, and New York State Senator. As Senator, Murphy drafted the bill which authorized the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, which he signed at his mansion in 1866. He also founded The Brooklyn Eagle and was one of its first editors. Considered a founding father of Brooklyn, Murphy translated colonial sources and documented Brooklyn’s Dutch heritage. Senator Street, which begins at the park, was named in his honor.

The Murphy estate was purchased in 1866 by Eliphalet W. Bliss (1836-1903), a wealthy manufacturer who made his fortune introducing and implementing techniques of mass production to the pressed metal industry. Bliss refurbished the mansion and built a horse stable and observatory tower from which one could view the bay, Staten Island, and the Watchung Mountains...

Owl’s Head Park is a scenic sanctuary in Brooklyn, where nature’s beauty and urban vitality blend seamlessly. This park is a haven for relaxation and recreation, featuring rolling hills, meandering pathways, and stunning views of the New York skyline and the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. Whether you’re enjoying a long walk by the water, picnicking in the summer sunshine, or sledding down snowy slopes in winter, Owl’s Head Park has something for everyone. With basketball courts, a playground, a spray pool, and a popular skate park, it’s a dynamic destination that caters to all ages and interests. And let’s not forget the dog run, where furry friends can frolic freely. It’s a place to reconnect with nature, escape the everyday grind, and revel in the hilltop breezes that whisper through the trees. Owl’s Head Park isn’t just a patch of green—it’s a vibrant community hub where memories are made and the spirit of...

Absolutely beautiful park that would deserve a 5/5 star rating...if I didn't have a sense of smell🤢 I'm not sure if it was the abominable condition my friends told me the women's restroom was in or the nearby wastewater treatment facility, but the rotten sewer smell permeated the air in roughly 75% of the park when I was here for the Gay Ridge event. It was truly depressing considering the natural scenery of the park was gorgeous and the event was fun, but it was hard to pay attention to when that wretched smell permeated through almost the entire park. Again, this may have been because of a combination of bathroom issues and heat/wind conditions that might not necessarily be permanent, but it was bad enough that day for me to leave earlier than I was originally intending to. If the parks department finds a way to lessen that sewer smell, this place could have a much...