Teal Park
Why it's listed
Teal Park is a three-quarter acre public green in a residential part of Horseheads, New York. Nathan Teal, a founding settler, donated the land in 1807 as a possible site for a cemetery, meeting house and other public buildings. Whether it served those purposes is unknown, though a schoolhouse once occupied part of it, and the land has been used as open space ever since. Concrete walks, benches, tall shade trees and two stone monuments fill the grounds. Its focal point is the wooden Zim Bandstand of 1910, designed by Eugene Zimmerman and built by his father-in-law, Alvah Beard. The octagonal structure has ten square columns topped with lyre-shaped capitals, a tent roof, and a carved pediment showing two horn-playing grasshoppers and a bass-fiddling frog. It has not been altered since construction apart from a 1979 roof and a village restoration. The park is valued for its early settlement history, its tie to Zimmerman and its rare bandstand.
Significance in brief: The park is significant for its link to early settlement, as land donated by founding settler Nathan Teal in 1807 and used continuously as public open space. It is also tied to Eugene Zimmerman, the cartoonist and prominent local citizen who designed and donated the bandstand in 1910. The bandstand is an original design and a rare surviving example of a once-common village feature.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 83003907, listed October 7, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Steuben, Pine, and W. Main Sts., Horseheads |
|---|---|
| County | Chemung County |
| Listed | October 7, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83003907 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Architect / builder | Designed by Eugene Zimmerman; built by Alvah Beard (Zimmerman's father-in-law) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Art, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent; used as a public park. The bandstand was recently repainted, missing railings were replaced, and an asphalt shingle roof was added in 1979 as part of a village restoration. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 42.16413, -76.81935 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 83003907.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7691384
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.