N E W S
A U G U S T 9
L E H A V R E
ABOUT FRANCIS
LEWIS PARK
This nine-acre waterfront park
is bordered by Third Avenue,
147th Street, the East River,
and Parsons Boulevard. The
Whitestone Bridge crosses the
west side of the park and the East
River sits to its north.
Francis Lewis, for whom the
park is named, won lauded as
an American patriot, but he also
experienced some difficult personal
times. Born in Wales in
1713, Lewis came to the US
when he was 25 and became
a successful entrepreneur. He
married Elizabeth Annesley in
1745. When he was 52, he retired
from business and moved to
Whitestone.
Lewis got involved in politics
in 1774 and was elected to the
Continental Congress in 1775. He
went on to sign the Declaration
of Independence, which is when
his problems began: In the fall
of 1776, the British burned down
his Whitestone home and abducted
Elizabeth. She was eventually
released but died in 1779;
it is speculated that her death
was partly the result of the harsh
conditions of her captivity. In the
years before his death in 1802,
Lewis served as a vestryman for
Trinity Church in New York City.
The NYC Parks Department
acquired what is now Francis
Lewis Park in 1937 from the
estate of Edwin H. Brown. The
park consists of winding paths
that lead to two scenic overlooks
equipped with benches and game
tables. Both overlooks feature
spectacular views of the bridge
and the East River, while the
lower overlook provides beach
access.
In 1992, Francis Lewis Park
received a $466,000 renovation
(nearly $870,000 in today’s dollars).
The project reconstructed
the shoreline, overlook and
embankment areas of the park in
order to correct a severe erosion
problem, prevent future degradation,
and improve views of the
river. Additionally, the flagpole
on the upper overlook received
a decorative granite base with a
dedication to Lewis. In 1999, the
park also received the addition of
bocce courts, and there is also a
playground, four handball courts
and two half-basketball courts.
nycparks.org
WWW.QNS.COM | AUGUST 2020 | LEHAVRE COURIER 9
A beautiful day for bocce!
Yay! Sprinklers!
In honor of founding father Francis Lewis You’re invited for a walk
/WWW.QNS.COM
