Palisades Park and the Harriman’s
A listing of those involved:
Francis E Weygant- Bear Mtn land owner who sells land in 1907 to
Edward H Harriman- who created land holdings that by the time of his death totalled 10000 acres in Orange and Rockland County NY. His will, using a scant 98 words, leave his estate, later estimated to be 800 million, created by his railroad holdings, is left to his wife,
Mary W Harriman, who later in 1910 gifts $1 million and ten thousand acres to the state, in 1906 the idea of the park, produces a map which the newly form Palisades Park commissioner to use to begin to identify Park lands and what sections because of the land are absorbed by the gift. A second round of park expansion is directed by Mrs. Harriman to add property to make the western shore an uninterrupted section of land to allow access to the western shore of the Hudson
Impact of the gift: The money and the land come with the condition that Edward’s holdings (a ten thousand acre portion there of) is the be used as parkland and the money is to be used to provide unencumbered access to the western shore of the hudson, there are other stipulations to the gift and failure to follw terms as they are set out means a complete reversal of money and lands back to her. the 133rd legislation votes to accept her conditions in 1910
Documents being examined:
Titles such as deeds, legislative actions and newspapers will be added to help those who wish to follow this subject will be added to this page-stay tuned……
State Laws enacted
June 1906 by 129th legislative session with Chapter 691- establishes physical boundaries and presumably plots lands directly gifted to the state by Mrs. Mary W Harriman, with those properties to be added between Palisades and west shore of Hudson River
In 1910, the 133rd legislative body formal accepts the terms and conditions governing her gift of 10000 acres and 1 million dollars. The land purchased with her money is to create a contiguous strip of land between the east side of palisades park and the west bank of the Hudson River.
Deed in 1911 Mrs Harriman files a deed that lists her gift to the newly formed Palisades Park Commission. The deed is apparently a boundary deed with almost 80 way points, preserves the right of ways given to the Erie Rail Road, and maintenance of channels of streams the pass thru the land being gifted. There are other physical features she reserves for herself. heirs and assigns.