The City later acquired the property in 1926. Brooklyn Borough President James J. Byrne, who died in office in 1930, had been instrumental in early efforts to reconstruct the historic Old Stone House after its foundations were rediscovered that same year.
In 1933, the park was renamed J.J. Byrne Park in his honor, and the reconstructed Old Stone House was completed the following year.
In the late 1990s, the historic name Washington Park was revived to recognize the area’s Revolutionary War significance. Today both names live on: the park is often called Washington Park, while the playground still carries the Byrne name — and most locals answer to both.
