The park is named for the man who formerly owned the site, J. Hood Wright (1836-1894), a banker, financier and philanthropist born in Philadelphia, who lived in a mansion on 175th Street and Haven Avenue. Wright anonymously gave money to convert the local subscription library into a free library which became a branch of the New York Public Library.[1]
The city acquired the land by eminent domain in 1925, specifically to build a park, which the neighborhood was lacking in. It has been upgraded and renovated, and the cupola of the hexagonal recreation center was restored in 2013.[2] The park is supported by the Friends of J. Hood Wright Park, a neighborhood organization.[1]
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