John Wesley Drumm (1862-1930) was a Queens educator whose career began before the consolidation of New York City. He started his 37-year career as a teacher and principal at the Glendale Union Free School #13, which had recently expanded. At that time in 1893, it was part of Newtown, but after the five boroughs came together in 1898, the school was renamed Public School 67. He served there as principal until 1915, after which he was principal at Public School 91. He was also principal of the newly opened Public School 119, but passed away at the end of its first school year. He died suddenly and unexpectedly of heart disease on June 8, 1930.

Soon after his passing, faculty, alumni, and the schools' mothers clubs began planning memorials. That fall on his birthday, October 28, they planted a tree in his honor in the yard of P.S. 91. Plans for a more permanent memorial began afterwards, and on May 21, 1932, the John Wesley Drumm Triangle was dedicated following a weeklong observance. The site, which had been acquired by the Parks Department on February 4, 1926, was named for Drumm on April 19, 1932 by the Board of Aldermen. A parade led large crowds to the dedication, and a dinner dance was held that evening. A plaque was donated to the site by the Alumni Association of P.S. 91.

The space received an upgrade after Councilmember Thomas Ognibene secured $204,000 in capital funding to add new greenery, decorative pavement, and benches from the World’s Fair. A ribbon cutting for the renovation took place on August 25, 1997.