Captain William Harry Thompson Park

Captain William Harry Thompson Park. . , What was here before? , This site was once part of the estate of William Watson (1849-1917) known as "Willmount." Watson owned a substantial amount of land in the Bronx. His estate extended from the Bronx River at West Farms Square, across Westchester Avenue to Bruckner Boulevard. A manor house was once located in the vicinity of today's James Monroe Educational Campus, one block south of this site. After Watson's death, his estate was divided into lots and streets. Manor Avenue, which begins at the southeast corner of this site, refers to Watson's former house., How did this site become a park? , This playground was built as a part of the Bronx River Houses housing project, which is named after the nearby river. The land for both was acquired by the City in 1948 by condemnation. The playground opened on Sept. 14, 1950, and the housing complex was completed soon after on Feb. 28, 1951., The playground was renovated in 1999. In 2020 updates to existing play areas and the addition of adult fitness equipment, spray showers, and a new in-ground mini-pool were part of Parks' Community Parks Initiative, a multi-faceted program to invest in under-resourced public parks and increased the accessibility and quality of parks throughout the five boroughs. Formerly known as West 174th Street Playground, the park was named for Captain Thompson in 2022, and improvements to the comfort station were made then., Who is this park named for? , This park honors Captain William Harry Thompson (1950-2001), a court officer and pillar of this community., Thompson was born and raised in the adjacent Bronx River Houses and attended Power Memorial High School where he was part of the illustrious basketball team. He then enrolled in St. Olaf College in Minnesota and met his wife, Jeanette. They had two sons who shared his passion for basketball, and both received college scholarships to play., Thompson started his civil service career with the United States Postal Service before joining the New York Unified Court System. During his 27-year-career, he achieved the rank of Captain in the Supreme Court. Thompson also trained incoming court officers at 123 William St., On Sept. 11, 2001, Thompson witnessed the attack from his nearby post. He ran into the World Trade Center in an attempt to save lives and tragically lost his in the effort. Thompson is remembered for his dedication to his community and for helping others.