Carl Schurz Park

Carl Schurz Park is a 15-acre waterfront park on Manhattan's Upper East Side, stretching along the East River from East 84th to East 90th Streets. The park is best known as the home of Gracie Mansion, the official residence of the Mayor of New York City, which sits within its grounds overlooking the river.

The park is named for Carl Schurz, a German-born American statesman who served as a Civil War general, U.S. Senator from Missouri, and Secretary of the Interior under President Rutherford B. Hayes. Schurz was also a prominent journalist and reformer who championed civil service reform and the rights of Native Americans and African Americans.

Gracie Mansion, built in 1799 by shipping merchant Archibald Gracie, is a Federal-style country house that has served as the mayoral residence since 1942, when Mayor Fiorello La Guardia moved in. The mansion sits on a promontory overlooking the turbulent waters of Hell Gate, where the East River, Harlem River, and Long Island Sound converge.

The park features a tree-lined promenade along the river, extensive playgrounds, dog runs, and landscaped gardens. The John Finley Walk, a paved esplanade along the river's edge, offers dramatic views of Roosevelt Island, the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, and the boroughs of Queens and the Bronx.

Carl Schurz Park benefits from the dedicated work of the Carl Schurz Park Association, a nonprofit conservancy that supplements city funding with private donations to maintain gardens, fund programs, and support capital improvements. The result is a park maintained to an exceptionally high standard, with seasonal flower displays and meticulously tended landscapes.

For residents of Yorkville and the East End Avenue neighborhoods, Carl Schurz Park serves as a cherished backyard: a place to walk dogs, push strollers, jog along the river, and watch barges navigate Hell Gate. Its combination of waterfront drama, mayoral history, and neighborhood intimacy makes it one of Manhattan's most distinctive parks.