Jersey City is lamentably deficient in parks. Before the city was first
established, some say that there was a small park in front of Lyons
Hotel, others assert that there was only one willow tree there. After
the city came into existence there was for many years, on the site now
occupied by the brick-yard, south of Essex street, between Essex and
the Canal, a pleasure resort called the Thatched Cottage Gardens, with
trees, flowers and vines, where there was music, balloon ascensions and
games, and ice cream served in the summer houses and arbors. A place
very popular, not only with Jersey City people, but also with many New
Yorkers. It was the scene of many interesting events, among others it
is said that Jenny Lind sang there. An interesting illustration of
the growth of local expressions had its origin in a little incident
connected with a visit of Bergen boys to the Thatched Cottage Gardens
to see a celebrated aeronaut of the day, named Gilley. After their
return home the boys arranged a balloon ascension of their own in the
barn belonging to the father of the chief actor, who by means of ropes
fastened about him and thrown over the beams above, holding an open
umbrella, was drawn up by the other boys to what he considered a proper
height, then bidding them let go, he expected to sail off by means of
his umbrella, but instead, came suddenly to the barn floor, with a
broken leg as the result, amid the derisive jeers of his mates, "You're
a Gilley!" To this day the term is used among Bergen children when an
over smart scheme of a mate proves a failure.
In Bergen the old orchard on the Merselis farm, near Orchard street,
called the Merselis Grove, was for years a resort for picnic parties.
To-day there is the Caledonia Park; the Blakely Wilson Homestead, on
Baldwin avenue, belonging to a private corporation and hired out to
associations for picnic and games. The only city parks are Van Vorst
Square and Hamilton Park, which were originally given to the town of
Van Vorst, the first by the Van Vorst family and the other by John
B. Coles, the founder of the town, and the four park corners at the
intersection of Washington and Grand streets. A few years ago, when
there were still acres of woodland between Jersey City and Bergen
Point, where people could go for a day's outing, there seemed less
need for city parks, but with the growth of the city and the vast
increase of the manufacturing population, there is necessity for the
establishment at different points of small parks and play grounds as
breathing places for the crowded portions of the city. At present the
Boulevard or County road is the great resort on Sundays and holidays,
when it is crowded with people in vehicles of all characters, on
bicycles and afoot.