Harlem's oldest freestanding monument probably would be a small, modest grave dedicated by a father to his beloved five year old son who died an early death in the late 18th century. The monument of the amiable child lies just north of Grant's Tomb at roughly 123rd Street and Riverside Drive and has been around since 1797. The area was called Strawberry Hill (later to become the Claremont neighborhood) and a Scottish landowner would build this grave for his child who fell from the rocky edge of the nearby Hudson River. As the estate was sold, George Pollock made the below request to all of the future landowners:
"There is a small enclosure near your boundary fence within which lie the remains of a favorite child, covered by a marble monument. You will confer a peculiar and interesting favor upon me by allowing me to convey the enclosure to you so that you will consider it a part of your own estate, keeping it, however, always enclosed and sacred."
St. Claire Pollock would also have a street named after him just a block north and the City of New York has since kept the promise to always protect this site.
Thanks for sharing. I'll be sure to look for it whenever I'm in the area.
ReplyDeleteI've been over there a few times over the years. I ran across it back it the 70's when I was a Columbia undergrad. Makes me cry everytime I think of that poor little boy. I'm an uncle now myself and if something were to happen to my nephew I'd be inconsolable.
ReplyDelete