Cedar Brook Park | |
 Shakespeare Garden | |
     | |
| Location | Roughly bounded Steel Ave., Arlington Ave., Park Ave., Rose St. and Laramie Rd., Kenyon Ave., Parkside Rd. Plainfield and South Plainfield, New Jersey, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°36′5″N 74°24′25″W / 40.60139°N 74.40694°W |
| Area | 78 acres (32 ha) |
| Built | 1930 |
| Architect | Olmsted Brothers |
| NRHP reference No. | 07000878[1] |
| NJRHP No. | 4718[2] |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | August 28, 2007 |
| Designated NJRHP | June 25, 2007 |
Cedar Brook Park is a 78-acre (32 ha) county park situated mostly in Plainfield in Union County, within the U.S. state of New Jersey, with a smaller portion of the park extending into South Plainfield in adjacent Middlesex County.[3] Featuring the Shakespeare Garden, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 25, 2007, for its significance in landscape architecture. The park was designed by the Olmsted Brothers of Brookline, Massachusetts from 1924 to 1930.
History and description[edit]
In 1921, the Union County Park Commission was established and hired the Olmsted Brothers, formed by the sons of landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, to design a county park system. The firm developed a preliminary plan for Cedar Brook Park in 1924, with work on the land and gardens completed by 1930. It is the third Olmsted Brothers designed park out of the 26 within the Union County Park System.[3] The Shakespeare Garden is a formally designed area that originally contained plantings specifically named in Shakespeare’s works. It is maintained by the Plainfield Garden Club, with support from the New Jersey Historic Trust.[4] A walking path connects the various features of the park, including the garden and the man-made lake on the Cedar Brook.[3]
Tëmike Park Playground controversy[edit]
In 2022, controversy erupted over negative comments made about the opening of Tëmike Park, an LGBTQ-inclusive playground, in the park.[5][6][7]
See also[edit]
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Union County, New Jersey
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Middlesex County, New Jersey
- New Jersey Women's Heritage Trail
References[edit]
- ^ "National Register Information System – (#07000878)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
- ^ "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places – Union County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection - Historic Preservation Office. September 29, 2022. p. 8.
- ^ a b c Stefel, April M. (June 2006). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Cedar Brook Park". National Park Service. Retrieved July 5, 2018. With accompanying 21 photos from 2004 and 2006
- ^ "Cedar Brook Park". New Jersey Historic Trust.
- ^ "Union County Responds to Hateful Comments on Pride Event Facebook Post". TAPinto.
- ^ "Hate Comments On Union Co. Pride Post Prompt County Response". Cranford, NJ Patch. June 27, 2022.
- ^ "Inclusive Park Sparks Debate Over Acceptance, Free Speech". June 29, 2022.
External links[edit]
Media related to Cedar Brook Park at Wikimedia Commons- "Plainfield Garden Club – Shakespeare Garden". Historical Marker Database.
