Bay Ridge in Brooklyn in Kings County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Owl's Head Park
What was here before?
The Canarsie lived in and around present-day Owl's Head Park, fishing in the Hudson River and New York Harbor, collecting oysters on the shore, and farming the fertile outwash plain. The first Europeans to settle this land were of Dutch descent. They established Yellow Hook, an agricultural community named for the yellow clay that leached from the shore into the water. Among these farmers who purchased land that is now part of the park was Swaen Janse, a formerly enslaved person.
Concerned that Yellow Hook reminded people of the yellow fever epidemic, in 1853 a group of citizens renamed the community Bay Ridge for the prominent geological features of the area. Owl's Head Park is located on a terminal moraine that extends from New Jersey to the end of Long Island. A moraine marks the place where the 10,000-year-old Wisconsin glacier deposited boulders, rocks, soil, and debris. The rich soil provides nutrients to the venerable trees that can be found on the property which include pines, locusts, oaks, maples, corks, beeches, and one S-shaped tulip poplar that defies gravity. They are a great backdrop
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A native of Brooklyn, Henry C. Murphy (1810-1882) built his estate along the glacial ridge where the park is today. The son of Irish immigrants, Murphy's political career included terms as Mayor of Brooklyn, U.S. Representative, U.S. Minister to the Hague, and New York State Senator. As Senator, Murphy drafted the bill which authorized the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, which he signed at his mansion in 1866. He also founded The Brooklyn Eagle and was one of its first editors. Considered a founding father of Brooklyn, Murphy translated colonial sources and documented Brooklyn's Dutch heritage. Senator Street, which begins at the park, was named in his honor.
The Murphy estate was purchased in 1866 by Eliphalet W. Bliss (1836-19030, a wealthy manufacturer who made his fortune introducing and implementing techniques of mass production to the pressed metal industry. Bliss refurbished the mansion and built a horse stable and observatory tower from which one could view the bay, Staten Island, and the Watchung Mountains of New Jersey.
How did this site become a park?
In
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 7, 2026
2. Entrance to Owl's Head Park
This section of the park was under construction as of the date that the photo was taken.
Who is this park named for?
Theories abound as to the origin of the name Owl's Head Park. Some say that the land was once shaped like the head of an owl, while others insist that owls formerly lived here, although there is no survey or record to confirm this. A local journalist remembers a hotel of the same name on the corner of Third and 69th Street. A final theory posits that the Bliss had a pair of stone owls framing its entrance gate.
Erected by NYC Parks. (Marker Number 301.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Government & Politics • Parks & Recreational Areas • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the NYC Parks series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1853.
Location. 40° 38.385′ N, 74° 1.831′ W. Marker is in Brooklyn, New York, in Kings County. It is in Bay Ridge. It is at the intersection of Colonial Road and 67th Street, on the right when traveling south on Colonial Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 101 67th St, Brooklyn NY 11220, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in New York City and on Long Island. It is also in the American Northeast, in the Mid-Atlantic, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A different marker also named Owl's Head Park (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Revolutionary War Cemetery (approx. 0.3 miles away); Engine Co. 241 - Ladder Co. 109 9/11/2001 Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away); Sorrentino Square (approx. half a mile away); a different marker also named Sorrentino Square (approx. half a mile away); Admiral George Dewey U.S.N. (approx. 0.8 miles away); The Freedom Tree (approx. 0.8 miles away); a different marker also named The Freedom Tree (approx. 0.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Brooklyn.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 10, 2026. It was originally submitted on February 8, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 66 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 8, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
