Before Owl’s Head Park, this property was the estate of Henry Cruse Murphy, Mayor of Brooklyn, U.S. Congressman, New York State Senator and founder of The Brooklyn Eagle. In 1866, he met other politicians here to formulate the agreement for the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. In that same year, he sold the estate to Eliphalet W. Bliss, a wealthy pressed metal manufacturer. Bliss constructed stables and an observatory tower, and upon his death in 1903, willed the estate to the city for use as a park. Locally the park is still referred to as Bliss Park. Its buildings were left to deteriorate and were all demolished before 1940. In 1994, the park was restored and an equestrian-themed playground was installed on the site of the stables.