Columbia Oval
The Columbia Oval was a piece of property in what is now the Norwood section of the Bronx (and once upon a time the Williamsbridge neighborhood)[1]. Columbia's one time presence in the neighborhood is still indicated by the presence of "King's College Place" a block north of the park. The property had served at times as Columbia's athletics facility before the adoption of South Field as an athletic field, and the construction of Baker Athletic Complex in the Inwood neighborhood at the northern tip of Manhattan.[2] It was considered as an alternative site for the construction of a football stadium in place of Riverside Stadium.[3] Once the land that Baker is located on was acquired by the University, the Trustees ordered the sale of the Oval property, which was subdivided and sold off.[4]
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Students and alumni generally supported improvements to the oval, though they were rarely carried out. Strangely, one of the reasons they expressed so much interest in the construction of bleachers and other amenities was so that they could lure the Princeton-Yale football game.[5]
The Williamsbridge Oval, a New York City public park with recreation facilities located just south of very the Columbia Oval was located is unrelated. The Williamsbridge Oval had previously been a resoivoir. When it was drained in the 1930s, it was eventually converted into a park[6]
References
- ↑ As Maps and Memories Fade, So Do Some Bronx Boundary Lines, New York Times, 16 September 2006
- ↑ "COLUMBIA MAY PLAY FOOTBALL IN BRONX; Old Columbia Oval at Williamsbridge Available for an Athletic Field.", New York Times, July 2, 1915, Page 9
- ↑ "OFFERS NEW STADIUM PLAN.; M.L. Cornell Suggests Williamsbridge as Site of Columbia Field.", New York Times, April 6, 1921, Section: Sports, Page 24]
- ↑ "COLUMBIA OVAL SOLD FOR $351,950; Former Athletic Field, Divided into 225 Lots, Sold at Auction. $1,564 AVERAGE PER PLOT Corner of Gun Hill Road and Bainbridge Avenue Brought$8,000." New York Times, October 27, 1922, Section: Real Estate, Business Properties, Page 35
- ↑ Columbia Spectator, November 9, 1894
- ↑ New York City Department of Parks & Recreation - Williamsbridge OvalWilliamsbridge Oval Playground Historical Sign
