By Lisa Kitchens
The Eco-History of The American Museum of Natural History
Where you are right now is part of Lenapehoking, which is the Lenape name for the Lenape homeland (this includes all of NYC). The American Museum of Natural History sits on the original homeland of the Munsee Lenape Nation. They have lived on and stewarded this land for thousands of years. In the 17th century during the colonization of America, European settlers inhumanely forced them out of their homeland leaving them displaced across the country. While reparations are still needed, over the years some Lenape people have moved back to their homeland and live here in NYC.
In 1861, Albert Smith Bickmore, an American naturalist with big ideas, began devising the idea of an American natural history museum while studying zoology at Harvard and after visiting European natural history museums. After several years of dreaming and planning, Bickmore’s proposal was successful in 1869. It wasn’t until 1877 that the first building opened on 77th St. Over the years, the museum has grown and evolved with the city and the world. It now houses about 32 million specimens of plants, animals, fungi, fossils, minerals, rocks, meteorites, and human cultural artifacts. The museum has full-time scientific staff and sponsors scientific field expeditions every year that further their mission “to discover, interpret, and disseminate information about human cultures, the natural world.”
Across the street from Central Park and sitting in a park itself (Theodore Roosevelt Park, managed by the Parks and Rec Dept), the land around you is a refuge to the people of New York, the dogs of New York (thanks to Bull Moose Dog Run!), migratory birds traveling the Atlantic Flyway, and travelers visiting this iconic institution. It is truly a loved part of the New York City community.
The Eco-History of Mill-Pond Park
Where you are right now is part of Lenapehoking, which is the Lenape name for the Lenape homeland (this includes all of NYC). The Bronx Children’s Museum and Mill Pond Park sit on the original homeland of the Munsee Lenape Nation. They have lived on and stewarded this land for thousands of years. In the 17th century during the colonization of America, European settlers inhumanely forced them out of their homeland leaving them displaced across the country. While reparations are still needed, over the years some Lenape people have moved back to their homeland and live here in NYC.
Mill Pond Park used to be the location of a pond that helped power a gristmill (which is how it got its name!). Back in 1813, developer Robert Maccomb built a dam on the Harlem River to help power his gristmill (a gristmill is a machine that helps grind grains into flour or meal). The dam was later torn down because it blocked access to the Harlem River, but the memory of the pond remained. Through the years, this land has been home to railyards, factories, and in 1935, the Bronx Terminal Market–providing wholesale fruits and vegetables to the locals.
In 2009, Mill Pond Park opened for the community! With tennis courts, landscaped picnic areas, an outdoor classroom, and waterfront views for the community, Mill Pond Park became a favorite spot in the neighborhood. In 2022, the beloved traveling Bronx Children’s Museum decided to make this park its permanent home, creating a place where children and families can learn, play, and discover together.
Sources
Mill Pond Park : NYC Parks. (2025). In Nycgovparks.org.
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/mill-pond-park
Mill Pond Park, Bronx. (2017, May 19). Hidden Waters Blog. https://hiddenwatersblog.wordpress.com/2017/05/19/millpondbx/
American Museum of Natural History. (2019). About the Museum | American Museum of Natural History. In American Museum of Natural History. https://www.amnh.org/about
Theodore Roosevelt Park Highlights : NYC Parks. (2026). Nycgovparks.Org. https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/theodore-roosevelt-park/history