LUTHER GULICK PLAYGROUND is a welcome quadrangle of green located between Broome, Delancey, Willett and Columbia Streets on the Lower East Side. It was founded in 1933 as Bernard Downing Playground, named for a recently deceased state senator, and renamed Luther Gulick Playground in 1985 for an early community organizer whose tenure actually preceded Downing’s, Luther Halsey Gulick ((1865-1918):
…Gulick was an educator, reformer, and community leader who is best remembered as the “Godfather of Basketball.” As a physical education director at the Springfield, Massachusetts Young Men’s Christian Association, he challenged colleague James Naismith in the autumn of 1891 to concoct a game that could be played indoors during the winter months. On December 21 of that year, Naismith presented Gulick with a soccer ball and two peach baskets, and the game of basketball was born. In 1959, Gulick was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame for his role as a “contributor” to the sport. [NYC Parks]
In addition, Gulick and his wife Charlotte co-founded the youth service organization the Campfire Girls (now called just Camp Fire).
His nephew Dr. Luther Halsey Gulick (1892-1993) served as president of the Institute for Public Administration (IPA) and also taught at Columbia University and was an advisor to Franklin D. Roosevelt and two NYC mayors.
Another park attraction: if you look carefully through the trees, you can see the rusting but landmarked “Sheriff Bishop Crook” that marks the former corner of Broome and Sheriff Streets.
Check out the ForgottenBook, take a look at the gift shop. As always, “comment…as you see fit.” I earn a small payment when you click on any ad on the site.
3/5/26