- Ambrose Kingsland
Ambrose C. Kingsland (1804-1878) was a wealthy
sperm oil merchant who served as mayor of New York from 1851 to 1853. In 1851 he initiated the legislation that eventually led to the building ofCentral Park .Kingsland's home was at 114 Fifth Avenue (southwest corner at 17th Street), now the site of a
Banana Republic store.In 1864, Kingsland purchased Hunter Island in
Pelham Bay Park ,Bronx for $127,501.00. He later purchased a sizeable country home north of the city along the Hudson River, in present day Sleepy Hollow. His sale of this land to the early steam-engine automotive company, Stanley Steamer, helped pave the way for Sleepy Hollow's awakening as a major automotive production hub for much of the 20th century.A waterfront park in the Westchester County suburb still bears Kingsland's name, as does Kingsland Avenue in the Greenpoint neighboorhood of
Brooklyn , which he helped survey. There is also a Kingsland Avenue in the Baychester section of theBronx References
External links
* [http://www.nytimes.com/specials/times-square/e-namesake1.html The Century in Times Square]
* [http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/historical_signs/hs_historical_sign.php?id=11859 Purchase of Hunter Island]
* [http://home.nyc.rr.com/jkn/nysonglines/5av.htm Guide to Fifth Avenue including site of Kingsland's house][source http://ragette.org/greenpoint%20architecture/historicdistrict/AIA%20text.htm]
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