Barker Park, a small rectangular plot of ground at the southeast corner of Third and State, has worn many a proverbial hat! Originally it was owned by the Mohican Indian Annape but later became property of Jacob D.VanderHeyden. On May 10, 1796, he gave it to the trustees of the new Village of Troy for its first burial ground.

At first, it covered all the land from Third Street running east along State to the alley and south to the First Baptist church. More than 200 people were buried there until it was abandoned in 1873.

Ironically, the industrial giant Troy did not have a city hall for its first 80 years. It used part of the Athenaeum building, a Greek style building erected in 1845 by the Troy Savings Bank, on First Street. On May 7, 1869, the "City-Hall Company of the City of Troy" was created and was authorized to locate and purchase a site for a new city hall.

In 1875, a move to buy the Athenaeum building from the bank was blocked by Mayor Edward Murphy, Jr. He recommended the purchase of the Third Street burial ground instead. On April Fool's Day, the Common Council rebuffed Murphy and approved the purchase of the First Street building. Murphy vetoed the Council's decision two weeks later. On June 8, the Third Street Burial ground was finally agreed upon and the VanderHeyden heirs were paid $10,000 to give up any rights to the land. A month later the city hired architect Marcus Cummings to design the building.

By the end of August, 1875, 208 burials were removed and reburied (In 1937, a few of the graves left between city hall and the church were also exhumed and reburied at Oakwood).

The new city hall building was occupied in October, 1876. It was an imposing landmark, 150 feet long and 83 feet wide built of Philadelphia pressed brick. A clock was placed in the tower in August 1885 and was illuminated at night by a special automatic gas device attached to a timer. A 6000-pound fire bell was placed in the tower in 1887, cast by Troy's Jones Bell Foundry Company. The building burned, under suspicious conditions, on October 28, 1938.

After the site was cleaned up and landscaped, it was named Barker Park, after C.W. Tillinghast Barker, a Troy industrialist, according to local historian Carl Erickson.

During the 1960's, it was "Pigeon Park." Thousands of well fed pigeons made the park their home. "Jim the Peanut Man" had a cart on the corner where you could buy fresh roasted peanuts or popcorn for a dime to feed them. Someone recently told me that Jim's cart is still around but I can't remember where it is?

In 1964, St. Anthony's Catholic Church received half of the park to build its present church. During the 60's and 70's, the park became a peaceful hippie hangout and the last 20 or so years the park has undergoing several transitions.

Several local business and civic leaders have decided to take the park back and turn it into a city jewel. Friends of Barker Park have been meeting for several months and are redesigning the park that will no doubt become an urban oasis in downtown. Newly landscaped and fenced, the new Barker Park will become a center piece for Troy's Renaissance.

This past Earth Day, a cleanup of the park was successful and six new trees were planted on the 17th. Donated by Community Gardens, and designed by the County's Cooperative Extension Program, they were planted by girls from Emma Willard. This coming Saturday, volunteers are needed to help do some more planting of perennials. Generous contributions for the project have come from the Troy Record, Key Bank, the City, and Troy Business Association.

The Friends group is now looking for interesting stories about the park, old photos, and other memorabilia. Amy Holloran from the RiverFront Farmer's Market is exploring having a late afternoon Farmer's Market at the park, and on June 15th, she is coordinating the park's participation in the city wide 'Arts Happening.' If you would like to participate call her at 274 5138. If you want to participate in any event or with Friends of Barker Park, call Stephanie at Key Bank at 274 1214.