The Heckscher Playground
We tend to throw around the word philanthropy a lot in today’s age, like when someone donates large sums of money to a cause. But 100 years ago philanthropy looked different. Andrew Carnegie for instance, sold his company and then helped to fund over 2,500 libraries across the country. He gave away 90% of his fortune.
August Heckscher - Photo: NYPL Digital Archives
August Heckscher was born in Hamburg Germany and immigrated to the United States in 1867 at age 19. He teamed up with his cousin Richard and started a coal mining operation that they eventually sold to the Reading Railroad. His next venture would be zinc mining, where he would create his fortune, becoming a multimillionaire.
The Heckscher Building looking south on Fifth Avenue. The monstrous Vanderbilt Mansion is seen in the foreground. - Photo: NYPL Digital Archive
In 1921 Heckscher constructed his headquarters at 57th Street and Fifth Avenue after razing the Whitney-Stevens Mansion (which I have written about here). The Heckscher Building, which today is the high end luxury Aman Hotel, was actually home to the Museum of Modern Art for 3 years while Abby Aldrich (wife of John D. Rockefeller Jr.) found a permanent home for the museum.
The Heckscher Building in the distance with The Plaza to the right. - Image: NYPL Digital Archive
As Heckscher became very wealthy he was approached for donations often. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children asked Heckscher for a donation that would go towards the purchase of a bus. He instead donated a plot of land on Fifth Avenue between 104th and 105th streets and opened The Heckscher Foundation for Children, which provided housing for children. His (and the foundation’s) main goal was aimed at razing many of the city’s slums and funding public housing for the less fortunate. The Heckscher Foundation for Children still exists today over 100 years later.
Central Park and Heckscher Playground in the 1930's. - Photo: Library of Congress
One of his major accomplishments was funding Central Park’s first playground. It was opened in 1926 and faced opposition from the wealthy who thought it would spoil the tranquility of the park. It soon became popular with middle and working class families and helped to initiate other playgrounds throughout the park.
The original Heckscher Playground. - Photo: NYPL Digital Archives
If you’re ever in Central Park it’s hard to miss the Heckscher Playground, which takes up 16 acres of the southwest corner of the park and is quite impressive in scale.
Heckscher Playground today. - Photo: WikiCommons
One of the entrance pillars. - Photo: Chris Baker
I love the almost forgotten entry gates in the eastern section of the park. There's always a steady stream of people walking past and no one seems to notice that it says: ‘A GIFT TO THE CHILDREN OF NEW YORK CITY’ etched in the stone. Walking through the gates feels almost magical.
Not only is it an amazing act of philanthropy, but also tells the story of America as a place of fantastic opportunity.
