Central Park - New York City Article

This man-made-wonder was designed by Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux after they won a competition for the opportunity to improve and expand the park in 1858. The work was completed in 1873.

The park has gone through many ups and downs during its lifetime. Since 1980 the park has been under the consistent care of the Central Park Conservancy. Their charge has been to return and retain the park to its original splendor as America's first and foremost major urban public space, as envisioned by its 19th-century designers.

Central Park offers art, recreation and related activities of many kinds. Traditional activities such as carriage rides and the Carousel are still favorites of locals and visitors. You can discover the Park's history, ecology and design on year-round, volunteer-led walking tours. Central Park is a sports enthusiast's paradise and offers everything from baseball to croquet, row boating, basketball, rock climbing, ice skating, boating and birding. This is a fantastic place to enjoy the great outdoors.

Several iconic monuments, sculptures and landmarks are located here. One of the most fascinating is Cleopatra’s
Needle, a red granite Egyptian obelisk. This obelisk is one of a set of three, the other two currently located in London and Paris. Exactly how the obelisk found its way to New York City is not entirely clear but it arrived in New York in July 1880. It took thirty-two horses, hitched in sixteen pairs, to pull the obelisk to the park and was erected in an official ceremony on January 22, 1881.

Some of the world’s greatest photo opportunities are available in Central Park. Its many bridges, especially the Bow Bridge at Cherry Hill, are extremely photogenic. Central Park serves as New York City’s backyard and a fabulous sanctuary from the city’s typically fast pace.

Map of Central Park and Eloise's Central Park Scavenger Hunt

For more information please visit: centralparknyc.org