Hare Krishna Tree

The large American elm you see near the center of the park is known as the Hare Krishna Tree. It became a site of international significance on October 9, 1966, when A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, held his first outdoor chanting session here. This two-hour gathering of dancing and music marked the formal introduction of the Hare Krishna mantra to the United States. The event drew in local participants, including the famous Beat poet Allen Ginsberg, who lived in the immediate neighborhood at the time. Today, the tree remains a sacred site for followers of the movement who often leave flowers and garlands at its base to honor its role in the birth of their spiritual community in the West.