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NEW YORK - Central Park: 150 Years Young
By : Jill Fergus
Photos By J. Kevin Foltz
New York is known for its famous landmarks: the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and Times Square, just to name a few. One of the city’s main attractions—Central Park—was the first landscaped public park inaugurated in the United States.
This verdant, urban oasis in the heart of Manhattan occupies 843 acres between 5th and 8th avenues and 59th and 106th streets, and is just as popular with locals as it is with visitors. Declared a National Historical Landmark in 1963, Central Park was designed in 1857 by then-park-superintendent Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, a partner of the country’s first landscape architect, Andrew Jackson Downing, one of the city’s earliest proponents of a public park.
Over the years, the park has added its own set of landmarks within its borders, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Reservoir, the Delacorte Theater and countless other treasures. Central Park recently celebrated its 150th anniversary (the land was purchased in segments between 1853-56) and has never looked better. Much of the praise for the park’s success goes to the Central Park Conservancy, which manages and maintains the park and has added $180 million in improvements over the last two decades. So if you haven’t explored the Big Apple’s green heart recently, maybe it’s time to give it another look.
Those seeking a cultural experience in Central Park will have plenty to choose from. The massive Metropolitan Museum of Art located at 82nd Street and Fifth Avenue is known for its priceless Impressionist and Chinese art collections, as well as the Egyptian-themed Temple of Dendur whose exhibit hall features an enormous glass wall overlooking the park’s rolling meadows. During the summer, Shakespeare’s plays are performed for free at the Delacorte Theater, an open-air amphitheater. A who’s who of Hollywood actors have performed on stage, including Kevin Kline in Much Ado About Nothing and F. Murray Abraham in Twelfth Night. Also, during the warm months, the esteemed New York Philharmonic and Metropolitan Opera perform on the 55-acre Great Lawn and park-goers can frequently be seen picnicking on wine and cheese as they listen to classical music being played under the stars. The park periodically hosts special concerts by big-name entertainers such as Luciano Pavarotti, Diana Ross, Elton John, Garth Brooks and, more recently, the Dave Matthews Band.
Of course, Central Park is a mecca for sports enthusiasts, offering almost every activity you can imagine. There are walking trails throughout, rambles that take you past elm, mulberry and cherry trees or alongside cascading waterfalls and rocky outcroppings. Runners and cyclists can make use of the six-mile loop around the park (with separate lanes for each). There is also the reservoir named after Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis who loved to roam there with her grandchildren (she lived across the street on Fifth Avenue). Encircling the reservoir is a bridal path where horseback riders trot and cantor. In springtime, when the cherry blossoms are in bloom, it’s the perfect spot for a romantic stroll. Just off the reservoir on 96th Street are numerous clay tennis courts where lessons and round robin tournaments are offered.
Perhaps the park’s most popular sporting spot is the Great Lawn, near the imposing Belvedere Castle, a blend of Gothic and Norman architecture. On weekends, organized baseball and softball games are held on pristine fields. You’ll also find folks kicking around soccer balls, playing touch football or simply tossing a Frisbee. The nearby 15-acre Sheep Meadow (which was once indeed a grazing spot for sheep) is a popular hangout. In July and August, most people don their bathing suits to catch some rays while others do yoga or play board games. Elsewhere in the park are croquet lawns and roller skating areas where boom boxes blare disco music and skaters do tricks to the amazement of onlookers. Just about every corner of the park is ripe for bird sightings—egrets, Canadian geese, hawks and owls are just a few of the species spotted by avid birders. Of course, winter brings a whole new set of sports for New Yorkers and tourists to enjoy, whether it’s sleigh riding, cross-country skiing or snowshoeing. But certainly the most beloved activity when the weather turns nippy is ice-skating at Wollman Memorial Rink located at 59th Street and 6th Avenue. As you glide across the ice (rentals are available), take in the awe-inspiring Manhattan skyline and be sure to take frequent hot chocolate breaks!
While raising children in New York can often be a challenge, where else can parents find so many kid-friendly attractions in one place? There’s the Central Park Zoo, the carousel with 58 hand-carved horses, playgrounds (including one based on the Temple of Dendur) and the many statues that tykes just love to climb on, including the famous Alice in Wonderland sculpture by Spanish artist José de Creeft. Everywhere you turn, there’s something else to discover, whether it’s the little-known formal Conservatory Gardens, picturesque stone bridges or the Imagine mosaic in Strawberry Fields dedicated to John Lennon.
While much has changed in New York in the last 150 years, Central Park has remained a welcoming haven inviting visitors to enjoy all of its many splendors.
centralparknyc.org
To book your next trip, visit www.aa.com or call American Airlines / American Eagle reservations at 1-800-433-7300 or your local travel agent.
Book your trip today! Visit www.aa.com, call American/American Eagle reservations at 1-800-433-7300, or call your travel agent for more information.
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