Seaside Park (Bridgeport, Connecticut)
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Seaside Park
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| Location | South End, Bridgeport, Connecticut |
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| Coordinates | 41°09′32″N 73°12′07″W / 41.159°N 73.202°WCoordinates: 41°09′32″N 73°12′07″W / 41.159°N 73.202°W |
| Area | 375 acres (152 ha) |
| Architect | Frederick Law Olmsted; Ernest G. Southey |
| Architectural style | Classical, American "beautiful" |
| NRHP Reference # | 82004373 |
| Added to NRHP | July 1, 1982 |
Seaside Park, located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, is a 2.5-mile (4.0 km) long crescent-shaped park bordering Bridgeport Harbor, Long Island Sound, and Black Rock Harbor. The park lies within Bridgeport's South End neighborhood.
As Bridgeport rapidly grew in population in the 19th century, residents recognized the need for more public parks. In 1863, The Standard urged the creation of one or more public parks in the city and a movement to create a park along Long Island Sound and Black Rock Harbor began. By 1864, P. T. Barnum and other residents had donated approximately 35 acres (14 ha) to create Seaside Park, gradually increased to about 100 acres (40 ha) by 1884. In 1867, plans for a seawall and a driving track and walkway were made and drawings for the park were obtained from Frederick Law Olmsted whose firm completed the work. Barnum donated additional land between Iranistan Avenue, Barnum Dyke, and Waldemere Avenue in 1878. In 1866, work on a Soldiers' monument was begun and the completed monument was dedicated in 1876. In 1884, a statue of Elias Howe was added and a bronze statue of Barnum (created by Thomas Ball) was added in 1893. A final major monument, the William Hunt Perry Memorial Arch (designed by Henry Bacon, architect of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.) was added in 1918. In 1884, Olmsted described Seaside Park as "a capital place for a drive or walk.... a fine dressy promenade."
In the early 1900s the park's driving track was still being used for horse driving, but enthusiasts of early automobiles also raced their "steam carriages" and "gasoline cars" on the park's track.
The addition of Fayerweather Island in 1911 and Barnum Field in 1936, coupled with landfill operations, increased the size of the park to its present total of 375 acres (152 ha).
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