Why the heck is it actually called Owl’s Head? Find out! Today we partnered with Hey Ridge editor and local historian Henry Stewart to bring you an Owl’s Head Park walking tour. In fact, we think it’s actually the first audio walking tour of Bay Ridge… ever! This 15-minute guided episode is meant to be played on-site at Owl’s Head, at the entrance on 67th Street and Colonial Road. You’ll explore the history of the park, from the pre-colonial era up until today.
We’ll separate the myth from the fact about the name “Owl’s Head”, of course. But did you know the origins of the nearby street names? Do you know who exactly Senator Street named after? Together we’ll walk past where once a grand mansion and castle-like tower once stood, as well as learn about the odd tastes of the man who occupied the grounds. There’s weapons arsenals, gangland shootings, tragic deaths, and development deals gone sour. Henry will also discuss the original designs for the park and what was lost to time. Most importantly, we’ll be out enjoying one of Bay Ridge’s most beautiful parks!
Let us know what you think about the episode, and whether we should do more of them! And in case you don’t get Radio Free Bay Ridge on your phone, be sure to check out the subscription links below.
Show Notes
If you’d like to learn more, you can read Henry’s excellent 2015 article in Bklynr that goes into more detail about the history of Owl’s Head Park.
I was very frustrated by the lack of clarity in the narrative So much was “buried” from the end of one sentence and into the next sentence. Such an interesting piece of Bay Ridge history and sadly I’d judge I missed 60% +/- of this narrative. I knew the park well (1950’s), often visited there with my father, and was born and raised in Bay Ridge leaving me “most likely” to understand what was being said. Terrific effort here – please take care of the speed and diction of any future narratives.