A Visit To The Forest Park Overlook

I have recently posted about the Park Commissioner's office at which Henry Miller once worked. Oliver Fox of Queens, NY decided to investigate the location himself:

"I live in Astoria, Queens, close to the Triborough Bridge which links Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx (also Randall's Island). This is the north-western-most part of Queens. Although I'm a native New Yorker I had never been to Forest Park before today. It's a very large and, I must say, a beautiful and well-maintained park. On the website you linked to they call it a "treasure of New York" and I can see why. There are sections of true forest, where all you see are trees and all you hear is the wind through the leaves. I'll definitely be back.

"I wandered and finally found the Overlook building. Unfortunately there was no 'sign' of the sign you described in your entry. I have a suspicion that what they call "historical signs" are symbolic 'signposts' and not actual physical descriptive signs of the history of the park. The Overlook building is at the Eastern End of the park in a very nice neighborhood of Kew Gardens, Queens. The homes surrounding are luxurious and very attractive. Apparently you can go inside the building during the week and after five on Saturdays, but I didn't feel like waiting around. Maybe they have some information on Miller inside the building, but that will have to wait for another day and another motivation.

"In front of the building is an impressive bronze of "Job" by Rappaport, forget the first name. A fitting subject for Henry Miller. Then there's a playground which is west of Overlook."

All photographs by Oliver Fox.

I like receiving accounts of people's visits to various Miller landmarks. Thanks to Oliver for allowing me to post this. I encourage others to do the same. I've already posted my own visits to Miller's tailor shop in New York and Villa Seurat in Paris. Please add your own anecdotes to these posts if you've done the same.

Of course, there's always a virtual tour of Miller's Paris at Miller Walks.