Collect Pond Park

Collect Pond Park sits on land that was once a deep, natural spring-fed basin, reaching depths of sixty feet. For the first two centuries of European settlement in Manhattan, this body of water served as the primary source of fresh water for the entire city. The name itself is a corruption of the Dutch word kolch, which means a small body of water. Over time, the English settlers changed that name to the one you see today. Long before it became a park, the pond was a popular destination for local residents who used it for ice skating in the winter and picnicking during the warmer months.