Palisades: The People's Park

The Palisades park and historic site system in New York and New Jersey is a significant anchor-point for the spread of national and state parks across the nation. The challenge to protect these treasures began with a brutal blast of dynamite in the late nineteenth century and continues to this day. Despite the involvement of men of great wealth and fame, the Palisades Interstate Park Commission faced an early and ongoing struggle to arrange financial support from both the New York and New Jersey state governments. The efforts to create Palisades Interstate Park were prodigious, requiring more than 1,000 real estate transactions to establish Sterling Forest, save Storm King Mountain, preserve Lake Minnewaska, protect Stony Point Battlefield and Washingtons headquarters, open Bear Mountain and Harriman state parks, and add the other sixteen parks to the system.

Format: Hardback
Length: 424 pages
Publication date: 11 May 2021
Publisher: Fordham University Press

The Palisades park and historic site system in New York and New Jersey holds a pivotal position in the expansion of national and state parks nationwide. The preservation of these invaluable treasures commenced with a devastating explosion of dynamite in the late 19th century, and it remains an ongoing challenge to this day. Palisades: The Peoples Park delves into the journey from a mere handful of protected acres to the diverse and thriving Palisades park system, situated in the densely populated metropolitan region of the United States. This narrative encompasses the unwavering determination, moments of crisis, fierce opposition to conservation efforts, remarkable philanthropy, a steep learning curve, and the responsible stewardship of guardianship from one generation to the next. While the involvement of prominent figures of wealth and fame marked the early stages of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, securing financial support from both the New York and New Jersey state governments posed a significant obstacle. The conflicts between developers, conservationists, industrialists, and wilderness enthusiasts, with their divergent perspectives on the utilization of natural resources, necessitated the commissioners of the PIPC to develop skills in negotiation, fundraising, and political engagement. The creation of Palisades Interstate Park was an immense undertaking that involved over 1,000 real estate transactions to establish Sterling Forest, safeguard Storm King Mountain, preserve Lake Minnewaska, protect Stony Point Battlefield and Washington's headquarters, open Bear Mountain and Harriman.

Weight: 782g
Dimension: 159 x 235 x 33 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780823293704