Morningside Heights stairs are some of the most beautiful and intact stairs in the Syracuse park system, why are they so hidden and access so limited? The story of their creation is of great interest and may lead to a rediscovery and use for today?
Recent Photo taken by Paul Pflanz
Morningside Heights Park
1938: Morningside Heights Park was established in 1938, when the City purchased a piece of land from the adjacent Morningside Cemetery. The property extended from Broad St. on the north to E. Colvin St. on the south. This original Morningside Heights Park included the land that is now the Manley Fieldhouse complex. The land had previously been farmed by the Rose family.
The Toboggan Run
The stairs and a 1938 newspaper article showing construction of Toboggan slide.
1939: Shortly after the City of Syracuse bought Morningside, it spent some $85,000 (over $1.5 Million in 2023 dollars) to construct a massive winter sports complex on the property. By 1939, the new Morningside Park boasted a toboggan slide, skiing and coasting hill and skating pond (in the south portion of the park near Colvin Ave) ), all lighted for night use. The toboggan run and the stone staircase that climb the hill beside it were built as WPA projects (or possibly the NYS version TERA, the Temporary Emergency Relief Administration). A photo taken during construction shows no trees growing in the vicinity of the stairs (see pic below of toboggan run construction).
1941: Morningside Heights Park was re-named Comfort Tyler Park. This honored Comfort Tyler, who was a major figure in the early development of Onondaga County. Tyler came to Onondaga in 1788, one of the area’s first settlers. He was the county’s first Postmaster; served as Sheriff, County Clerk, and Coroner, and assisted in the first manufacture of salt here. Tyler died in 1827. Today, Comfort Tyler is remembered by a new park established in 1951, formerly known as the Colvin-Comstock playground, which is located immediately west of Comstock Commons, at the southwest corner of E. Colvin St. and Comstock Ave.
1948: However, the toboggan run, which had been the scene of many accidents, including one reputedly involving the then-mayor’s wife, was removed. Other facilities in the complex, including picnic tables, were abandoned and left to deteriorate over time. Today, all that can be seen of the toboggan run are a number of concrete footings hidden in the brush next to the stairs.
Also, by 1948, the southern half of the park had been sold to Syracuse University for temporary dormitory construction (called Collendale) to accommodate the post-World War II student boom. The area is now the site of the massive SU sports complex built around the former Manley Fieldhouse.
But there still remains a massive stairway up the hill as evidence to the park’s past glory.
The stair hard to find. It is unmarked – you have to enter through a grass covered empty lot on Morningside Terrace, not far from Lancaster Avenue. A slight left, past some trees and heading towards the hill, and suddenly the lower level of the stair is revealed. Not until turning entirely left and looking up does one grasp the full length of this massive construction. Today, more than 75 years after its construction it remains in excellent condition. But where does this monumental stair go?
Morningside Heights Highest Point in City?
This spot is a contender for the highest hill with Syracuse city limits. Located along the access road that loops around the three water towers that sit atop Morningside Heights Park, this land is owned and managed by the city of Syracuse. There are multiple pedestrian entry points to the park, including via the gated access road from a small parking area by the community gardens, or via various trails through the woods from Morningside Cemetery to the northwest and Ed Smith School to the northeast. Elevation taken from ArcGIS – World Topo base mapping.
While this is potentially the highest peak in Syracuse, it is not the highpoint. The true highpoint of the City of Syracuse appears to be not a hilltop at all, but rather an inconspicuous spot at about 850 feet on a side slope along the southwest city boundary above Rand Tract.
Note: The above is info from a blog by Sam Gruber, former Pacny President. Below is a story about the toboggan run included in Sam’s blog as is the following:
TALE OF THE MAYOR’S WIFE:
An anachronism were the old concrete and metal remnants of the Toboggan Run poking up between the leaves, mosses and brush of the deep woods The forest near the stairway is so dense, so filled with large trees that I once had a Professor from The School of Environmental Science tell me that he thought there might be “original growth “ trees there. Actual trees that predated the European settlement of the area. If so, what Primitive civilization existed that could have poured concrete over reinforced steel and left electrical conduit boxes and metal sign rusting amidst the aged vegetation?
The next step was to ask around and so eventually patched together a story told by various staff, student, family members and community folks. This old relic, it seems, was the last of the old Toboggan slide built by one of FDR’s 1930’s work relief programs. The story grew strange, sad, romantic and perhaps a little melodramatic, when nearly everyone added “ yeah, it was torn down after the mayor’s wife was killed on it.”
What Mayor? When? How? What were the details? No one could say for sure but everyone was convinced that a top politician’s tragedy would be about the only thing to make such a sweeping change. I can’t recall anyone having a different story. I visited the Onondaga Historical Association. I asked friends from the Parks and Recreation Department. One of them said he’d heard something once but wasn’t sure about it. There was nothing easily located in the Departments files that explained it..of course there were some “Old files” in storage in the department’s office building , maybe “some day”….
I left the story for that “some day” for the moment and went about working on the construction of the trails the PTO suggested would be the best project for some extra money we had. The trails quickly developed into the MCT. Morningside Cultural Trails, developed to improve the quality of our multicultural community. Trails with Art themes, History, recreation and fitness, literature, science and nature. One of the ideas first worked on by Adam Sheldon’s Eighth Grade Social Studies Class was “Strange Stories and Urban Legends,” another the “1940s Trail” It was working on the latter that I went hiking with Bruce Laidlaw a retired Attorney , good guy and mentor to underprivileged children . As we walked the route we eventually started up the stairway and Bruce nodded towards the scattered remains of the Slide.
“That there is the old Bobsled Slide or Toboggan Run inspired by the ’32 Olympics in Lake Placid.” I quickly replied. “ Hey, about that. ” I saw an opportunity, “Is it true that they tore it down because the mayor’s wife was killed on it?’ Bruce looked disgusted. “Naw , that’s BULL!” he grumbled, then eyeballed me sideways “It was Gordon Maley’s son. He was a local attorney and he threatened to sue the city. That structure came down one helluva lot faster than it went up.” He was chuckling now. “Oh..That makes more sense Bruce. Thanks for that, Thanks a lot.” Bruce answered “Think nothin’ of it” and we continued on our way.
Now I thought we had an answer to the old mystery.
I had a lot to learn!
I returned home from my walk with Bruce, excited and wanting to spread the word that we had FINALLY found the answer to the old mystery of why the City had torn down the Toboggan slide so long ago. I was also a bit saddened , however because, well because there is a certain romance to Urban Legends and tall tales. This was an ending to all the wondering and imagining about what the disaster could possibly be, that ended the Winter Wonderland.
This was enough though. It made sense in our increasingly litigious days. Of course it was a legal suit, over liability and, how perfect an injury to a lawyer’s son had been the cause! Hurriedly I hurried home and informed a local woman who is very active in the community, has an interest in local history and who, coincidently, also maintains several of the local list serves for community groups. It was just the kind of thing she likes and she immediately posted it. I, in the meantime, continued home growing increasingly sad that we “solved” this long time mystery, with just a mundane legal matter. This legality wining out over the joy of life.
I learned quickly, however, that “magic” has a certain staying power. Within twelve minutes I received an Email that made me laugh out loud. The message read: “Crap! It WAS the mayor’s wife! I was there and tell Bruce it was his brother Bill who said so!” Now THAT made my day!
Within a week I had a meeting with the Westcott Leadership Roundtable, where a local group of community leaders meet regularly to announce, work on, support and announce their projects. The Trails were part of the discussion and I couldn’t wait to tell the story and enjoy a good laugh. Gleefully I began my tale and they, all locals, had some version of the story in each of their heads. When I finished they all laughed and I sat back pleased with myself. I was again a bit quick to declare victory.
Another member, one marvelous woman who has long been part of the local University community and who has created worthy projects locally, sputtered a bit , seemingly a bit confused. Originally from England she has a delightful British accent.
“Oh dear, Oh my…” she began.
“Is there something wrong?” I asked.
“Well at the University we have always been told that it was the Chancellor’s daughter!”
So it goes…Some puzzles never get solved and I’m glad of it. Secretly, although I will keep asking folks and telling the story, I hope we never do find the answer.
There is something special, a kind of magic I like to say, about the Trails. There is no “magic” in common sense explanations.
-Paul Pflanz
A vacant lot that may be part of the original park north end. The stairs begin at the back behind the tree line.
Original size of the park from Broad St to Colvin Ave and beside it the current remains of the park. Today, there is no Morningside Cemetery on the east side of comstock.
MCT trail network