Warinanco Park Explained

Warinanco Park (pronounced by locals as War-Rah-NINK-co) is a county park in Union County, New Jersey. It is 205acres in size. It is located in Roselle at the border with the neighboring cities of Elizabeth and Linden.

History

In 1921, a group of local citizens alarmed by the rapid industrialization of the area created the Union County Park Commission by referendum vote of the people, to purchase and preserve remaining natural areas.[1]

In 1923, the famous landscape design firm, the Olmsted Brothers (founded by their father Frederick Law Olmsted who designed New York's Central Park) completed its design plans for "Elizabeth Park," now known as "Warinanco."[2] [1]

Lenape namesake

This park was named in 1925 for an indigenous Lenape tribal leader of the region, whose name was recorded by English colonists as "Warinanco" in 1664. That year, a group called the Elizabethtown Associates bought the Elizabethtown Tract including land in today's Union County from Warinanco and another Lenape leader, Mattano.[3]

Warinanco's name is recorded elsewhere as "Waerhinnis Couwee," "Warrines" and "Wieronies."[4] It is thought that Warinanco was a minor sachem, or tribal elder, of the Hackensack people (a band or subgroup among the Lenape).

Features and landmarks

Azalea Garden

The Caxton Brown Memorial Azalea Garden, located just south of the Warinanco Park Administration building.[5] The garden is dedicated to the memory of Caxton Brown of Summit, New Jersey (1879-1952), who helped create, and was a member of, the Union County Park Commission. It contains hundreds of plants in many dozens of manicured beds.[6] A boulder and plaque was dedicated in Brown's memory in the azalea garden in 1957.

The garden was refurbished with white gravel walking paths and new plantings in 2024.

Chatfield Garden

The Henry S. Chatfield Memorial Garden (also known as the Chatfield Garden).[7] This area originally contained 14,200 tulips imported from Holland and planted in 21 beds but has been transitioned to more diverse blooms beyond tulips to support pollinators throughout the season.

It is named for the Union County Park Commission's first president Henry Summers Chatfield (1864-1933), who is memorialized with a stone bench in the tulip garden.[6]

Union County Park Commission Administration Buildings

These historic buildings are listed on the state and the federal registers of historic places in 1985.[8]

Track and field

There is a 400-meter long athletic track as well as a long jump track and a space for shot put. Inside of the athletic track there is an artificial-surface field that can be used for soccer, football, and other sports.

Magnolia Grove

There is a mature planting of flowering magnolia trees.

Warinanco Lake

A dock offers paddleboating.

Warinanco Park Sports Center

This sports center, including the Warinanco Ice Rink, was expanded and modernized in 2017.[9]

Flora and fauna

Warinanco is known for its springtime displays of cherry blossom, dogwood, redbud, and azalea blooms. The display of Japanese cherry blossoms surrounding Warinanco Lake dates back to 1931, where Caxton Brown and his brother donated them to the park.[10]

Trees include:

Shrubs include:

Herbs and flowers include:

See also

References

  1. Web site: Ndi.net. hsenj.ndi.net.
  2. News: Olmsted Look Goes Beyond Central Park. Elisabeth. Ginsburg. The New York Times. 21 September 2003. 8 May 2018.
  3. Web site: Warinanco Park is thriving nature habitat. Tina. Casey. Courier News.
  4. Munsee Indians: A HistoryRobert S. Grumet ยท 2014
  5. Caxton Brown Memorial Azalea GardenRoselle, NJ 07203, https://www.google.com/maps/place/Azalea+Garden/@40.6554077,-74.2411652,16.79z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c3b36c1b568d93:0x2d71bc95885fb514!8m2!3d40.6594804!4d-74.2389677?hl=en-US
  6. Thomas S. Spencer, John J. Russell. Gardens Across America: East of the Mississippi. Rowman & Littlefield, 2005 - Gardening - 460 pages
  7. The Chatfield Garden is located at the following link: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Chatfield+Garden/@40.656649,-74.2417369,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c3b3d36bd061eb:0x685976f47fc7e5c8!8m2!3d40.656649!4d-74.2395482?hl=en-US
  8. Web site: New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places . New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection - Historic Preservation Office . 2018-05-12.
  9. Web site: Warinanco skating rink, sports center revamped in Union County. Staff Report. Courier News.
  10. The Courier News Location:Bridgewater, New Jersey Issue Date:Thursday, May 2, 1974 Page 53