Dana Park is a small

urban park An urban park or metropolitan park, also known as a municipal park (North America) or a public park, public open space, or municipal gardens ( UK), is a park in cities and other incorporated places that offer recreation and green space to resi ...

in Albany,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

and includes a memorial to James Dana which doubles as Albany's last remaining horse

trough Trough may refer to: In science * Trough (geology), a long depression less steep than a trench * Trough (meteorology), an elongated region of low atmospheric pressure * Trough (physics), the lowest point on a wave * Trough level (medicine), the l ...

. It is located in the Y-intersection caused by Delaware Avenue to the east and

Lark Street Lark Street is a historic street in Albany, New York, USA. It is part of the Arbor Hill, Sheridan Hollow, Center Square, Park South and Hudson/Park neighborhoods, and is located one block east of Washington Park. Lark Street is the site of man ...

to the west, with the third leg of the triangle formed by Dana Avenue.

Madison Avenue Madison Avenue is a north-south avenue in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, United States, that carries northbound one-way traffic. It runs from Madison Square (at 23rd Street) to meet the southbound Harlem River Drive at 142nd Stre ...

forms a five-point intersection with Lark Street and Delaware Avenue at the eastern end of the park. The park is important to several different neighborhoods, Hudson-Park, Park South, and

History

In December, 1826 the Common Council of Albany decided that at the end of the lease of the current property holder of Delaware Square, the square would become a public square. The park was dedicated on Arbor Day 1901 as Dana Park by

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

Blessing, in honor of James Dwight Dana, a renowned geologist from Utica. The Dana Natural History Society of Albany, a women only science organization begun in 1868, erected an ornate fountain at the eastern end of the park in 1903. The fountain was a

to water horses and was used until the late 1940s, the horses pulling the bread wagons of the Freihofer's Baking Company were the last known to use it until the fountain was hooked back to the city water main in 1988 for use by the Albany Police Department's mounted patrol unit.

Dana Memorial

The Dana Memorial is a granite memorial to geologist James Dwight Dana which includes the last remaining horse trough in the city. The memorial is carved with features of

trilobites Trilobites (; meaning "three lobes") are extinct marine arthropods that form the class Trilobita. Trilobites form one of the earliest-known groups of arthropods. The first appearance of trilobites in the fossil record defines the base of the At ...

, crinoids, and eurypterid. It was erected in 1903 by the Dana Natural History Society, which today is the oldest female naturalist association in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. The fountain is also used to collect water for watering a small garden in the middle of the park.

Activities

A farmer's market is held every Thursday during the summer. A

Little Free Library Little Free Library is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that promotes neighborhood book exchanges, usually in the form of a public bookcase. More than 150,000 public book exchanges are registered with the organization and branded as Little Fre ...

book box is located within Dana Park, providing the community with a free book-sharing program. Albany's Dana Park Little Free Library Book Box

References

External links

* {{coord, 42, 39, 7.1, N, 73, 46, 4.8, W, region:US, display=title Parks in Albany, New York Urban public parks