Central Park New York City.com : Profile

Arts & Attractions Central Park

New York's "flagship" park of 843 acres, 26,000 trees, and almost 9,000 benches has had a rather checkered history. Planning began around 1868, when city commissioners chose the "Greensward Plan" developed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. In the ensuing decades of building, the challenging terrain wasn't the only obstacle to overcome. Navigating the difficult city bureaucracy and the Tammany Hall political machine made the Park an overly politicized institution. A long spiral of decline was halted in 1934, when Parks Commissioner Robert Moses employed his controversial methods in making remarkable changes to the decrepit park. From around 1960 until 1981, another twenty years of decline ensued, until the newly-formed Central Parks Conservancy offered a blueprint, "Rebuilding Central Park for the 1980s and Beyond." The past 20 years have been much kinder to the Park, which has seen some remarkable reconstruction work. 275 species of birds have been sighted in the Park, which also has several restaurants on its perimeter, a Boathouse, a Carousel, ballfields, a running track, reservoir, sculptures of Alice in Wonderland and Shakespeare, and a nearly endless list of event... more

New York's "flagship" park of 843 acres, 26,000 trees, and almost 9,000 benches has had a rather checkered history. Planning began around 1868, when city commissioners chose the "Greensward Plan" developed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. In the ensuing decades of building, the challenging terrain wasn't the only obstacle to overcome. Navigating the difficult city bureaucracy and the Tammany Hall political machine made the Park an overly politicized institution. A long spiral of decline was halted in 1934, when Parks Commissioner Robert Moses employed his controversial methods in making remarkable changes to the decrepit park. From around 1960 until 1981, another twenty years of decline ensued, until the newly-formed Central Parks Conservancy offered a blueprint, "Rebuilding Central Park for the 1980s and Beyond." The past 20 years have been much kinder to the Park, which has seen some remarkable reconstruction work.

275 species of birds have been sighted in the Park, which also has several restaurants on its perimeter, a Boathouse, a Carousel, ballfields, a running track, reservoir, sculptures of Alice in Wonderland and Shakespeare, and a nearly endless list of events and other attractions.

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Balto is one of Central Park’s most popular pups! Did you know that #OnThisDay in 1925 a team of sled dogs—including Balto and his teammate Togo—brought lifesaving medicine to Nome, Alaska? Learn more about their legendary journey here:
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https://t.co/R5xOLBOd1B 20 Hours Ago

Happy #GroundhogDay! Whether we’re in store for six more weeks of winter or an early spring, Central Park is the perfect place to spend the remainder of the season. How will you enjoy what’s left of winter? Our seasonal guide has the inside scoop.
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https://t.co/ZX0EWffPl4 23 Hours Ago

Who could use a little color as February begins? 🌈 While the vibrant days of spring are ahead of us, there’s still plenty to love this month! How will you spend your days in the Park? 📷 aphilseyeview on Instagram @cab1998 @jacquelineUWS katstarr_⁣ on Instagram
https://t.co/OKEbGTK5KY Yesterday at 4:10 PM

Before Central Park was built, a community in the middle of Manhattan, home to the largest number of free Black property owners in New York before the Civil War, was displaced. This #BlackHistoryMonth, learn about our research to uncover this history.
https://t.co/Tuq4GgFKaB
https://t.co/ru2Q9iKl9T Yesterday at 8:16 PM

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