Grammercy Park New York

Grammercy Park is a private park in New York City that's open to the public only once a year. The remainder of the year only those who live in the neighborhood and are given keys can access the park. The park was created from swampland in 1831. It's located between East 20th Street and East 21st Street and between Park Avenue South and Third Avenue. Today, Grammercy Park is the only remaining private park in the Borough of Manhattan. Inside the iron gates is a statue of Edwin Booth, brother of John Wilkes Booth, the man who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln. Edwin Booth was New York City's greatest 19th century Shakespearian actor. Visitors can walk around the fenced-in park and see the many early-nineteenth century townhouses and buildings, including the old-fashioned Grammercy Park Hotel. The hotel has serviced many famous guests including John F. Kennedy and Humphrey Bogart. Along the edges of the park are also many interesting Greek Revival townhouses from the 1840s. Many have beautiful ornate wrought-ironwork that looks a lot like buildings in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The Greek Revival townhouses have been home to many well-known American business people and celebrities like James Harper of Harper and Row Publishing House.