Halcyon Park is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

that was developed by Reverend Cyrus Kemper Capron in Bloomfield, in Essex County, in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, in 1895 as a

planned community A planned community, planned city, planned town, or planned settlement is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed on previously undeveloped land. This contrasts with settlements that evolve ...

of homes with trees and shrubs, picturesque cottages, ponds and common grounds to be maintained by a caretaker and gardener. It is believed that Halcyon Park was inspired by

Llewellyn Park Llewellyn Park is a neighborhood in West Orange in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. It is a gated residential community of 175 homes, west of New York City. History Llewellyn Park was founded in 1853 by Llewellyn Solomon Haskell, ...

, the first planned garden suburb about three miles away. Capron envisioned a private residential park for individuals of moderate means to offer all the advantages of the city (proximity to two railroads and a trolley for access to Newark and New York City, water, gas, sewer and paved streets) and the country (trees, ponds, picturesque landscape). The original plan laid out 182 lots and common grounds to include a club house and tennis courts for common use by a lot-owners association. The Club House contained a bowling alley, billiard table, library and stage. The common grounds included a gate house, a conservatory, and two ponds. The land was developed with water, sewer and gas lines and paved streets, innovative at the time. In the early 1900s most of the lots remained vacant. Development was halted in 1907 due to the Financial panic of 1907. The common properties fell into disrepair and the Clubhouse burned down in 1910. Capron declared bankruptcy. The property was sold to Philip Bowers in 1907. By 1914 there were still many vacant lots, but by 1932, almost every available plot of ground was occupied by a "well appointed home of diversified architecture."

Halcyon Park today

In 1995, Halcyon Park was added to the

New Jersey Register of Historic Places The New Jersey Register of Historic Places is the official list of historic resources of local, state, and national interest in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The program is administered by the New Jersey's state historic preservation office with ...

and the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

as ''eligible'' as an "intact collection of early twentieth century residential housing in a planned setting reflecting attention to open space and neighborhood character." A report commissioned by

NJ Transit New Jersey Transit Corporation, branded as NJ Transit, and often shortened to NJT, is a state-owned public transportation system that serves the U.S. state of New Jersey, along with portions of New York State and Pennsylvania. It operates bu ...

in 1995 in preparation for planning the

Newark Light Rail The Newark Light Rail (NLR) is a light rail system serving Newark, New Jersey and surrounding areas, operated by New Jersey Transit Bus Operations. The service consists of two segments, the original Newark City Subway (NCS), and the extension t ...

Extension into Bloomfield, stated that "Houses within Halcyon Park, built between 1905 and 1930 include a number of well-preserved examples of early-twentieth century residential architecture in Bungalow, American Foursquare,

Colonial Revival The Colonial Revival architectural style seeks to revive elements of American colonial architecture. The beginnings of the Colonial Revival style are often attributed to the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, which reawakened Americans to the archit ...

, Tudor, and Queen Anne styles" and that "Halcyon Park Historic District is eligible for the National Register under Criterion C as an intact twentieth century planned middle-class residential community with a cross-section of the vernacular architectural styles from that period."

References

External links

Halcyon Park Historic District

Halcyon Park Neighborhood Association
{{coord, 40.784026, -74.187745, type:landmark_globe:earth_region:US-NJ, display=title Bloomfield, New Jersey 1895 establishments in New Jersey Populated places established in 1895 Unincorporated communities in Essex County, New Jersey Unincorporated communities in New Jersey