Post by minoltaman on Nov 16, 2007 15:53:32 GMT -5
The Wall Street lawyer, friend of the early 20th Century robber barons, Samuel Untermeyer, owned this expansive property from about 1899 until his death in 1940. He purchased it from the previous owner Samuel Tilden, a former governor of New York State.
It is situated in Yonkers, NY, just several miles north of the NYC border, and offers views of the Hudson River. Untermeyer built the Greek revival gardens for his wife, who apparently died during the construction and never saw the final outcome. Some say this park is haunted because of that reason.
But the most INFAMOUS claim to fame of Untermeyer Park is that the serial killer, David Berkowitz, aka, "The Son of Sam", was part of a Satanic cult that used a old groundskeeper shed deep in the wooded section of the park for their meetings and rituals. Berkowitz was later captured nearby this park, coming out of his apartment, in Yonkers, NY in 1977 charged with numerous counts of murder. He's still in jail. The cult members also were rounded up and questioned but none were prosecuted.
The shed was still there until the mid 90's when the nearby hospital expanded it's facilities and bulldozed the land where the shed was. When I was a teenager in the early 1980's, my friends and I always ventured down to the satanic shed for fun. Mostly though, we hung out on the lawns and the garden smoking pot and having fun. (I haven't smoked pot since!)
Untermeyer Park was a big hangout for hippies from the 60's thru the early 80's. They still have classical music concerts and Shakespeare plays in the summer, but I never go.
Recently at lunch break one Friday, I visited the haunted park with my camera. First time I'd been back in a long, long time.
Minolta X700, Fuji Superia HQ200, Vivitar 28-200 zoom lens and Phoenix 19-35mm zoom. Minolta 360PX flash unit also used on some shots.
The park is an Historic Landmark of the United States National Register of Historic Places, May 31, 1974.
Enter the Garden
Greek Temple with pool below (empty since the 90's)
Columns of the temple
The Greek style theater with columns
The Eagle's Nest with Hudson river and New Jersey Palisades just visible beyond
It is situated in Yonkers, NY, just several miles north of the NYC border, and offers views of the Hudson River. Untermeyer built the Greek revival gardens for his wife, who apparently died during the construction and never saw the final outcome. Some say this park is haunted because of that reason.
But the most INFAMOUS claim to fame of Untermeyer Park is that the serial killer, David Berkowitz, aka, "The Son of Sam", was part of a Satanic cult that used a old groundskeeper shed deep in the wooded section of the park for their meetings and rituals. Berkowitz was later captured nearby this park, coming out of his apartment, in Yonkers, NY in 1977 charged with numerous counts of murder. He's still in jail. The cult members also were rounded up and questioned but none were prosecuted.
The shed was still there until the mid 90's when the nearby hospital expanded it's facilities and bulldozed the land where the shed was. When I was a teenager in the early 1980's, my friends and I always ventured down to the satanic shed for fun. Mostly though, we hung out on the lawns and the garden smoking pot and having fun. (I haven't smoked pot since!)
Untermeyer Park was a big hangout for hippies from the 60's thru the early 80's. They still have classical music concerts and Shakespeare plays in the summer, but I never go.
Recently at lunch break one Friday, I visited the haunted park with my camera. First time I'd been back in a long, long time.
Minolta X700, Fuji Superia HQ200, Vivitar 28-200 zoom lens and Phoenix 19-35mm zoom. Minolta 360PX flash unit also used on some shots.
The park is an Historic Landmark of the United States National Register of Historic Places, May 31, 1974.
Enter the Garden
Greek Temple with pool below (empty since the 90's)
Columns of the temple
The Greek style theater with columns
The Eagle's Nest with Hudson river and New Jersey Palisades just visible beyond
