Most of the property in this tract, mellowed by romance and favored by nature, was beautifully wooded, the trees towering to a great height and from the owners the territory took the name of Jones' Wood.

The Hillock known as Dead Man's Rock marked its beginning some 75 years ago. In later times the site of this landmark became ignoble in police annals as the boundary of Battle Row. This region was the last fastness of the forest primeval that once covered the rocky shores of the East River and its wildness was almost savage.

In the infant days of the colony it was the scene of tradition and fable having been said to be a favorite resort of the pirates who dared the terrors of Hell Gate and came here to land their treasures and hold their revels. The gifted pen of Irving* has described it as "a new creation" to the eyes of voyagers from the settlements, for no signs of human thrift appeared to check the delicious wildness of nature which here reveled in all here luxuriant variety.

The hills along the river were adorned with the vigorous natives of the soil: the lordly oak, the generous chestnut, the graceful elm, while here and there the tulip tree reared its majestic head, the giant of the forest. Where later were seen the gay retreats of luxury, our author muses, villas half buried in twilight bowers, whence the amorous flute oft breathed the sightings of some city swain, there the fish-hawk built her solitary nest on some dry tree that overlooked her watery domain. The timid deer fed undisturbed along these shores now hallowed by the lover's moonlight walk and printed by the slender foot of beauty; and a savage solitude extended over these happy regions, where now are reared the stately towers of the Joneses, the Schermerhorns and the Rhinelanders. Its shores were renowned for its fisheries and under the shadow of its rocky bluff and overhanging oaks the youth of a former generation cast their lines and waited for bites.

In the "opening years of the last century" the wood became "a place of delight" to the pleasure seekers from the distant city. The property was very attractive for the purpose and the views from the shores highly interesting and varied. The above quotation is taken from two contemporary writers but failure has met the endeavor to ascertain data of such early date. The place, however, was a conspicuous landmark and as such became a subject of contention during the endeavor to acquire a large city park. The advisability of acquiring land for that purpose was raised by Ambrose C. Kingsland, the Mayor, in a message to the Common Council under date of May 5th, 1851. (Pro. Board of Aldermen. XLII:32). The people and their representatives were divided between this locality and a more central one. A preamble and resolutions of the Common Council against Jones's Wood and in favor of Central Park were presented in the Senate at Albany on June 17th, 1853. (Com. Adtr. June 18th).

The same paper of June 23rd contained the report of a Select Committee of the Senate dated the 21st, in favor of the acquisition of the former site and stating that it contained an area of 156 acres. Senator Cooley on the following day submitted an elaborate written minority report in opposition thereto and in favor of a central location. On July 1st Senator Beekman stated that, although he understood that the owners of Jones's Wood were opposed to its being selected, he thought "the great plea of public necessity" required its acquisition. Cooley defended the minority report on the ground that the prevalence of rowdy's was such that the wives and families of visitors to the park would not be safe, five or six miles away from the inhabited parts of the city.

The riots, murders and scenes of disorder at Hoboken proved this to be true. A further objection was that, after the ledge of rock (between 40 & 50 feet high) was leveled, the water front could be used for commercial purposes and was needed for the development of the metropolis. The pending bill to appoint commissioners of condemnation was opposed by Senator Morgan in that its terms completely deprived the city authorities of all power in the matter and sought to sweep away the property of the owners without redress. He called attention to the remonstrance's of Mayor Westervelt, Comptroller Flagg, the owners and the petitions of ten thousand citizens of New York against it, and stated that only Beekman, the Senator from the Fifth, was in favor, intimating that he was influenced by his ownership of realty in the neighborhood (Commercial Advertiser July 2).

Later in the month President Pierce arrived in order to open the Crystal Palace and on the 16th, in answer to a circular invitation on behalf of the Committee on Encroachments on the Harbor, a large number of citizens, public functionaries and representatives of the army and navy assembled on board the steamboat "Josephine" at the U.S. Barge Wharf, foot of Whitehall Street, to accompany him on an excursion around the Bay. He was met by Palatiah Perit, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Walter R. Jones, President of the Atlantic Mutual Insurance Co. After sailing around Governor's Island and past the Navy Yard the boat proceeded up the East River, while luncheon was served. (Evening Post, July 19th, 1853.)

Haswell states than one of the objects of the trip was to allow the members of the Board of Aldermen to examine the Jones's Wood site from the water side. The reports in the Post, Herald and Commercial Advertiser, however, make no reference thereto. If this was a reason it evidently had little weight with members of the Legislature present for on the following day an act was passed in favor of a Central Park, and Beekman's bill, vesting in the corporation the selection of Jones's Wood, was lost, __ayes 12, nays 10__after a long debate. Later in the day the vote was reconsidered and the bill passed. (Commercial Advertiser, July 22). This act (Chapter 618) authorized the purchase of the land lying between 3rd Avenue and the East River, from 66th Street to 75th Street, including Hamilton Square. Much opposition immediately arose to the project for it was recognized that, however attractive might be the location, it was inaccessible and dangerous because bounded on one side by the swift current of a deep stream. The Aldermen, accordingly, on Oct. 10, directed the Mayor & c. to employ counsel to delay proceedings in order to apply for amendment or repeal of the law. (Pro. Bd. Aldermen. 89). As a result the act was repealed after that action had been recommended, March 6, 1854, by the Committee on Land and Places of the Board.

Now that the project had been abandoned the owners advertised in the Times of October 16th 1855 the sale by A.J. Bleecker, 7 Broad Street, of four hundred of the lots, bounded by 69th and 75th Streets, comprising a part of the "Beautiful property so well known as Jones' Wood," which lots were in "original hands" and free of encumbrance. The records of the Caledonian Club, organized in 1856, refer to the resort as a "convenient and pleasantly situated park between 65th and 70th Streets on the East River" and, after holding its first annual games on the Elysian Fields, Hoboken, it settled on the Wood for its second event which took place there on Thursday, Sept. 23rd, 1858.