Cedar Brook Park Explained

Cedar Brook Park
Nrhp Type:	HD
Nocat:	y
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:	40.6014°N -74.4069°W
Built:	1930
Added:	August 28, 2007
Refnum:	07000878
Designated Other1 Name:	New Jersey Register of Historic Places
Designated Other1 Abbr:	NJRHP
Designated Other1 Link:	New Jersey Register of Historic Places
Designated Other1 Date:	June 25, 2007
Designated Other1 Number:	4718^[1]
Designated Other1 Num Position:	bottom
Designated Other1 Color:	ffc94b

Cedar Brook Park is a 78acres 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.^[2] 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

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.^[2] 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.^[3] A walking path connects the various features of the park, including the garden and the man-made lake on the Cedar Brook.^[2]

Tëmike Park Playground controversy

In 2022, controversy erupted over negative comments made about the opening of Tëmike Park, an LGBTQ-inclusive playground, in the park.^{[4] [5] [6]}

See also

• 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

External links

• • Web site: Plainfield Garden Club – Shakespeare Garden . Historical Marker Database.

Notes and References

1. Web site: New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places – Union County . New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection - Historic Preservation Office . 8 . September 29, 2022 .
2. Web site: [{{NRHP url|id=07000878}} National Register of Historic Places Registration: Cedar Brook Park ]. National Park Service. April M. . Stefel . June 2006 . July 5, 2018. With
3. Web site: Cedar Brook Park . New Jersey Historic Trust.
4. Web site: Union County Responds to Hateful Comments on Pride Event Facebook Post. TAPinto.
5. Web site: Hate Comments On Union Co. Pride Post Prompt County Response. June 27, 2022. Cranford, NJ Patch.
6. Web site: Inclusive Park Sparks Debate Over Acceptance, Free Speech. June 29, 2022.