Ederle Park

Gertrude "Trudy" Ederle was the first woman to swim the English Channel on August 6, 1926, at the age of 19. Despite swimming in stormy weather conditions, Miss Ederle broke the previous channel swim record and received a ticker-tape parade down Broadway in celebration of national pride. Miss Ederle set 29 national and world amateur swim records and won a gold and two bronze medals for the U.S. swimming team in the 1924 Paris Olympics.

Miss Ederle spent childhood summers in Highlands and learned to swim in the Shrewsbury River. She also trained for her channel swim in the swift currents of the river. Gertrude Ederle was truly an inspirational pioneer for women's athletics. For years after her swimming accomplishments, Miss Ederle would return to Highlands and stay at the Stowaway Hotel that once stood across Highway 36 from the Park.

Ernest "Sonny" Vaughan took a vacant lot and began development of what was to become the park we celebrate today. A group of lady gardeners from town, called the "Green Thumbers", also lent a hand planting the park. The park was first dedicated to Gertrude Ederle on August 14, 1975. Trudy attended that ceremony.

In 1992, Eleanor Huson, presented a plaque commemorating Miss Ederle. Over the years the Highlands Garden Club continued its dedication to Ederle Park. With donations from the community the Club expanded the flowerbeds, installed the flower urn and made a sign post for the plaque. August 21, 2003, the Garden Club again hosted a rededication ceremony in the park, and this time Gertrude " Trudy" Ederle, at 97, showed up in person and communicated her love for Highlands. Ederle was a great pioneer of women's sports and deserves recognition for her courage and accomplishments.