Montefiore Park

West Harlem / Hamilton Heights / Sugar Hill

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Bounded by Broadway, Hamilton Place, and West 138th Street, this park honors Sir Moses Haim Montefiore (1784-1885), a distinguished nineteenth century Jewish philanthropist. Montefiore was born into a wealthy Italian Jewish merchant family in Livorno, Italy. Several years later, his family immigrated to Great Britain. In 1812, Montefiore married Judith Cohen (bef. 1812-bef. 1885), making him the brother-in-law of the noted British financier Nathan Meyer Rothschild (1777-1836). Soon after the marriage, he became Rothschild’s stockbroker as well. By 1824, Montefiore had amassed a considerable personal fortune on the London stock exchange. He used this money to help found the Imperial Continental Gas Association (which pioneered gas lighting for homes in Britain) and the Provincial Bank of Ireland.

Sites & Attractions Parks & Outdoors: Parks Free Parks & Outdoors West Harlem / Hamilton Heights / Sugar Hill