The Great Lawn – Central Park’s Other Reservoir

The Great Lawn holds the distinction of being the single largest design feature that was not part of the original Greensward Plan, as drawn up by Olmsted and Vaux. At that time it was the site of the Croton Reservoir, which had been built in 1842 and required the...

Central Park Escape

Central Park’s 843 acres represent 6% of the total surface of the island. It features a variety of terrains and vistas, ranging from the beautifully sculptured balustrades of Bethesda Terrace to the woodsy solitude of the Ramble. It offers each New Yorker,...

The Blockhouse – Central Park’s Oldest Edifice

At the northern end of Central Park, hidden from view by the surrounding trees and foliage, is an aged edifice that is the oldest standing building in the park (discounting, of course, the Oblelisk, imported from Egypt).  It is a fort built to protect lower Manhattan...