Fort Tryon Park Historical Timeline
- 1917: John D. Rockefeller, Jr. buys the Billings mansion
- 1927: John D. Rockefeller, Jr. engages Olmsted Brothers to design Fort Tryon Park
- 1935: Construction of park completed
- October 1935: Columbus Day park opening attended by Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Rockefeller, Jr. and sons Laurance and Nelson
- 1938: The Cloisters Museum opens
- 1950: Plantings begin to disregard the Olmsted Brothers design
- 1970: Budget cuts during fiscal crisis drastically reduce maintenance of the park
- 1983: Plans for a Capital Renovation; the Greenacre Foundation approaches NYC Parks with offer to restore the Heather Garden
- 1983: Founding of the Friends of Fort Tryon Park, a community-based organization whose mission was to involve the entire community surrounding the park in maintaining and improving its appearance and encouraging its constructive use
- 1985: Horticulture staff restores the first section of the Heather Garden for the 50th anniversary of Fort Tryon Park
- 1988: First restoration of the Heather Garden completed
- 1990: Through the 1990s, the Garden is maintained by a staff whose numbers fluctuate widely
- 2000: Heather Garden Committee endowment initiated by Commissioner Benepe; reevaluation and reworking of the entire garden begins
- 2001: $200,000 Challenge Grant to the Heather Garden Endowment Fund launched by the Rhodebeck Charitable Trust
- 2003: First Heather Garden Benefit, honoring Abby O’Neill
- 2006: $500,000 gift received from the Peter Jay Sharp Foundation to initiate the restoration of the historic Alpine Garden
- 2006: $250,000 gift from Arthur Ross Foundation to create a Winter Walk, featuring evergreens and other plants of winter interest
- 2007: Broadway Initiative launched to revitalize the eastern section of the park
- 2007: The Trust and Friends of Fort Tryon join efforts. The Friends Committee of the Fort Tryon Park Trust is formed to advance the programs and functions of the Friends of Fort Tryon
- 2008: $50,000 gift received from the Cleveland H. Dodge Foundation to reinstate water service throughout the Broadway side of the park
- 2009: Joan K. Davidson is honored at Sunset on the Hudson Benefit. Public Garden designer Lynden Miller is engaged to develop a Heather Garden Framework Plan for enhancing and sustaining the Heather Garden
