History of Central Park in Pictures (1859 - 1984)
Central Park is an urban park in New York City located between the Upper West and Upper East Sides of Manhattan. It is the fifth-largest park in the city, covering 843 acres. It is the most visited urban park in the United States, with an estimated 42 million visitors annually. The biologically diverse ecosystem has several hundred species of flora and fauna. Recreational activities include carriage-horse and bicycle tours, bicycling, sports facilities, and concerts and events such as Shakespeare in the Park.
Main attractions include landscapes such as the Ramble and Lake, Hallett Nature Sanctuary, the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, and Sheep Meadow; amusement attractions such as Wollman Rink, Central Park Carousel, and the Central Park Zoo; formal spaces such as the Central Park Mall and Bethesda Terrace; and the Delacorte Theater.
In 1857, landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition for the park with their “Greensward Plan”. Construction began the same year; existing structures, including a majority-Black settlement named Seneca Village, were seized through eminent domain and razed.
After a period of decline in the early 20th century, New York City parks commissioner Robert Moses started a program to clean up Central Park in the 1930s. The Central Park Conservancy, created in 1980 to combat further deterioration in the late 20th century, refurbished many parts of the park starting in the 1980s.
1859: Above Central Park
Illustration of an aerial perspective overlooking Central Park in Manhattan.
1865: Archway and Footpath in Central Park
Photograph of a man in a suit standing pensively on a bridge overlooking the arched footpath beneath.
1865: Elevated View of Central Park
A photograph of Central Park in its pristine and far less developed stage, compared to what we know today.
1865: Music Pavilion in Central Park
A photograph of the Music Pavilion on a quiet and overcast autumn day. Taken by George Stacy in 1865.
1865: Central Park Terrace Stone Work
A detailed view of Central Park's terrace masonry. The terrace was one of the very first structures to have been built in the park.
1865: Central Park Stonework
A unique perspective revealing the ornate patterns of Central Park's stonework designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux.
1869: Scene of Squatters Living near Central Park
An artist's rendering of Squatters near Central Park living among farm animals in their shacks.
1873: Central Park and Midtown Manhattan
A bird's-eye view of New York with Central Park in the foreground.
1874: Central Park, New York
A painting which shows New Yorkers enjoying the foliage and scenery at Central Park.
1905: Central Park - Lake and Terrace
A small crowd gathers near Bethesda Fountain to enjoy pleasant weather and boat rides on the lake.
1905: Concert in Central Park
Spectators enjoy a musical performance at one of Central Park's pavilions.
1909: Hotels from the Lake in Central Park
A photograph shot from the perspective of the lake at Central Park towards the luxury hotels which form the skyline.
1949: Benches at Central Park Pond
Photograph of men and women seated beneath the trees, enjoying the view across Central Park Pond.
1965: The Dakota, Central Park West
Photograph of The Dakota Apartments, located at 1 West 72nd Street, Central Park West.
1965: The Dakota, Central Park West Corner
Photograph of the The Dakota Apartments taken from a corner in Central Park West.
1980: Aerial View of Central Park
A bird's eye perspective of Central Park looking north with Harlem and The Bronx visible in the distance.
1984: Bow Bridge in Central Park
Photograph of Bow Bridge overlooking the Lake in Central Park with midtown buildings in the background.
1984: Central Park Bow Bridge over Lake
Photograph of Central Park's Bow Bridge. One of the park's many rustic pavilions is visible under the left side of the arch.
