Columbus Park Manhattan

Columbus Park, formerly known as Mulberry Bend Park, Five Points Park, and Paradise Park, is a public park in Manhattan’s Chinatown that was established in 1897. The site was once a notorious slum area, the center of the Five Points neighborhood, described by photographer and social activist Jacob Riis as the "foul core of New York’s slums." Riis, known for his book *How the Other Half Lives*, campaigned to transform the area into a park to improve the lives of tenement dwellers. His efforts led to the demolition of several blocks of dilapidated tenements in 1897. The establishment of Mulberry Bend Park was praised for its positive impact on the community. William Dean, captain of Manhattan’s Sixth Precinct, noted that the park eliminated one of the city’s most dangerous areas and significantly improved the neighborhood. Jacob Riis also highlighted how the park provided a safe outlet for children, reducing crime and delinquency. In 1911, the park was redesigned by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux and renamed Columbus Park. In 1934, a statue of Christopher Columbus by Emma Stebbins was installed, but it was later removed. In 2019, a statue of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, a Chinese revolutionary, was permanently installed in the park’s northern plaza. Today, the park serves as a gathering place for the local Chinese community, where residents engage in activities like mahjong, traditional music, and tai chi. In 2021, a large-scale crochet mural featuring over 1,500 flowers was created by Chinatown Yarn Circle and Think!Chinatown to honor ...