User:Bjelleklang/Central Park
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Note: This is work under progress, and may not represent the finished article. Feel free to comment on the talkpage.~ Bjelleklang - talk 00:27, 21 October 2005 (UTC)
Central Park ( ) is a large public, urban park (843 acres or 3.41 km²; a rectangle 2.5 miles by one-half mile, or 4 km × 800 m) in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. An oasis for Manhattanites escaping from their skyscrapers, Central Park's appearance in many movies and television shows has made it one of the world's most famous city parks.
Central Park is bordered on the north by Central Park North (Cathedral Parkway west of the park and 110th Street east), on the east by Fifth Avenue, on the south by Columbus Circle and Central Park South (59th Street east of Fifth Avenue), and on the west by Central Park West (Eighth Avenue south of Columbus Circle).
The park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, who later created Brooklyn's Prospect Park. While much of the park looks natural, it is in fact highly landscaped and contains several artificial lakes, extensive walking tracks, two ice-skating rinks, a wildlife sanctuary, and grassy areas used for various sporting pursuits, as well as playgrounds for children. The park is a popular oasis for migrating birds, and thus is popular with bird watchers. The 6 mi (10 km) road circling the park is popular with joggers, bicyclists and inline skaters, especially on weekends and in the evenings after 7:00PM, when automobile traffic is banned.
Each summer, the Public Theatre presents free open-air theatre productions, often starring well-known stage and screen actors, in the Delacorte Theatre. Most, though not all, of the plays presented are by William Shakespeare.
Other events include NYC Midsummer and Summerstage, and the finish of the New York Marathon.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Early History
Note to self: should be called something else, to indicate pre-construction/pre-park. Could probably merge some of the introtext into this part
Between 1820 and 1850, New York City nearly quadrupled in population. As the city expanded, people were drawn to the few open spaces, mainly cemeteries to get away from the noise and chaotic life in the city. Before long however, New York City's need for a great public park was voiced by the poet and editor of the Evening Post, William Cullen Bryant and by the first American landscape architect, Andrew Jackson Downing, who began to push the need for a public park in 1844. A stylish place for open-air driving, like the Bois de Boulogne in Paris or London's Hyde Park felt needed by many influential New Yorkers, and in 1853, the New York legislature designated a 700 acre (2.8 km²) area from 59th to 106th Streets for the creation of the park, to a cost of more than $5 million for the land alone.
[edit] Initial development
The State appointed a Central Park Commission to oversee the development of the park, and in 1857 the commission held a landscape design contest. Writer Frederick Law Olmsted and English architect Calvert Vaux's "Greensward Plan" was selected as the winning design. According to Olmsted, the park was "of great importance as the first real Park made in this century – a democratic development of the highest significance …", a view probably inspired by his stay in Europe in 1850.[1] During that trip he visited several parks, and was in particular impressed by Birkenhead Park near Liverpool, England, which opened in 1847 as the first publicly funded park in England.
Several influences came together in the design. Landscaped cemeteries, such as Mount Auburn (Cambridge, Massachusetts) and Green-Wood (Brooklyn, New York) had set an example of idyllic naturalistic landscapes. The most influential innovations in Central Park's design were the separate circulation systems for pedestrians, horseback riders and pleasure vehicles, with "crosstown" commercial traffic (almost non-existent at the time of the design) entirely concealed in sunken roadways screened with densely planted shrub belts, so as not to disturb the impression of a rustic scene. The Greensward plan called for some 36 bridges, all designed by Vaux, and ranging from rugged spans of Manhattan schist or granite, to lacy neo-gothic cast iron, no two alike. The ensemble of the formal line of the Mall's doubled allées of elms culminating at Bethesda Terrace, with a composed view beyond of lake and woodland, is at the heart of the larger design.
Before the construction of the park could start, the area had to be cleared for inhabitants, most of whom were either free African-Americans, or immigrants of German or Irish origin, most of witch were quite poor. Most of them lived in smaller villages, such as Seneca Village, Harsenville, the Piggery District or the Convent of the Sisters of Charity. The roughly 1,600 working-class residents occupying the area at the time were evicted under the rule of eminent domain during 1857, and Seneca Village, and parts of the other communities were demolished to make room for the park.
Around 1860, it became apparent that Olmsted, although being a great designer, was a horrible manager. He had little or no oversight of the Park's expenditures, and due to his management there were lengthy delays in construction. He nevertheless refused to step down as a manager, something that forced the Park Commissioners to put Andrew Green in charge of the project instead. It didn't take long before he had accelerated the construction, as well as finalizing the negotiations for the purchase of an additional 65 acres in the north end of the park between 106th and 110th Streets, which would be used as the 'rugged' part of the park.
Between 1860 and 1878, the construction of the park had come a long way, and most of the major hurdles had been overcome. During this period, more than 500.000 cu.feet of topsoil had been transported in from New Jersey, as the original soil wasn't good enough to sustain the various trees, shrubs and the plants the Greensward Plan called for. By 1873, more than 10 million cartloads of material, including soil and rocks which were to be removed from the area had been manually dug up, and transported out of the park, also including more than 4 million trees, shrubs and plants representing the approx 1500 species which were to lay the foundation for today's park.
[edit] Early 19th. Century
period ~1900-1960 - split in two?
After the construction of the park had finished, it didn't take many years before it started to decline. One of the major reasons for this, was mostly due to the bureaucracy surrounding Tammany Hall the then-largest political force in New York during 1854 to 1934. Around the turn of the century, the park faced several new challenges, such as the advent of cars and a change in attitudes amongst the general public. No longer was the park to be used only for walks and picnics in an idyllic environment, but now also for sports. Also, following the death of Vaux in 1895 the maintenance effort gradually declined, and there was few or no attempts to replace dead trees, bushes and plants or worn-out lawn. In the following years, the authorities did little or nothing to end vandalism and the littering of the park.
All of this changed in 1934, when Fiorello LaGuardia was elected mayor of New York, unified the five park departments then in existence, and gave Robert Moses the job of cleaning up. Moses, then about to become one of the mightiest men in New York City, took over what was essentially a ruin.
"Lawns, unseeded, were expanses of bare earth, decorated with scraggly patches of grass and weeds, that became dust holes in dry weather and mud holes in wet … The once beautiful Mall looked like a scene of a wild party the morning after. Benches lay on their backs, their legs jabbing at the sky (...)" according to historian Robert Caro in his book "The Power Broker," published in 1974.
In a single year, Moses managed to clean up not only Central Park, but also other parks in New York City; grass and flowers was replanted, dead trees and bushes replaced, walls were sandblasted and bridges repaired. Major redesigning and construction was also carried out; the Croton Reservoir was filled-in so the Great Lawn could be created, and the Greensward plan's intention of creating an idyllic landscape was all but abandoned, and replaced with Moses' vision of a park mainly to be used for recreation purposes. 19 playgrounds were erected, 12 ballfields and handball courts was constructed, and he managed to secure funds from the New Deal programme, as well as donations from wealthy people. Central Park had been given a new lease of life, and would again prosper under the wings of a powerful defender.
[edit] 1960-1980
When Robert Moses stepped down as Park Commissioner in 1960, nobody could replace him and the power and influence he had. During his 26 years as a commissioner, he had not only maintained the parks, but also started numerous other projects around New York. When he left, the park gradually began to deteriorate, not only because of vandalism, littering and graffiti, but also due to the number of arrangements taking place in the park. New Year's Eve celebrations, summer concerts, peace rallies and protest marches, as well as numerous other arrangements during the sixties resulted in a park similar to what it looked like before Moses took over. The number of crimes committed in the park increased, the funding decreased, and the park looked like it was out of control until the Central Park Conservancy was founded in 1980.
Despite all the negative issues, not everything was bad during this twenty-year period. The Public Theatre debuted with it's annual Shakespeare in the Park in 1962, and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and the Metropolitan Opera began with their annual summer concerts on the Great Lawn.
By 1975 several advocacy groups joined forces to come up with new ideas for how to take care of the park. In order to gain influence over the direct care of the Park, they approached New York City mayor Edward Koch, and Gordon Davis, the then-park commissioner. Under their leadership, the Central Park Conservancy was founded in 1980, led by Bill Beinecke (chairman) and Betsy Barlow Rogers (Central Park Administrator).
[edit] 1980-present
The conservancy took over all responsibility for the restoration and maintenance of the park, and published a paper called ""Rebuilding Central Park for the 1980s and Beyond" in 1981, which described the actions needed to restore the park to it's former glory, and functioned as an early master plan. The document described three key tasks, deemed essential for the park's future survival. The architectural heritage had to be restored, not only the landscape and environment, but also the bridges, buildings and other structures that had fallen victim to 20 years of neglect. In addition to this, the paper also said that the park had to be regreened, and replanted where necessary, and that constant care for every area of the park had to be provided. Also, programmes that would increase the security around the park, and attract more visitors were also outlined. ->change
improve: present day status
[edit] The Central Park Conservancy
The Conservancy started in 1980 as a result of several groups such as The Central Park Task Force and the Central Park Community Fund joining forces with New York City authorities to clean up, and restore the park. The organization depends on a number of unpaid volunteer workers, who each year spend several thousand hours restoring and maintaining the park.
(The contract they have with New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, is an early example of a very successful public private partnership)
more about the org. here, stats, brief history only
[edit] Crime
Although often regarded as a kind of oasis of tranquility inside a "city that never sleeps," Central Park has had a reputation over the years as a dangerous place, especially after dark. Although the park is quite safe as of today, there has been periods where the park was said to be unsafe, and over the years the park developed a reputation of crime, not unlike New York itself. Well-publicized incidents of violence and rape, such as the infamous "Central Park Jogger" case, have contributed to this perception.
However, as crime has declined in the Park and in the rest of New York City, many of these perceptions have become exaggerated or outdated, and the use of common sense is enough to protect visitors from harm. The New York Police Department designates Central Park as its own precinct, the 22nd, and it has been noted that a large percentage of the crimes in the park, particularly assaults, occur between people who know each other, as opposed to being random attacks. With more than 25 million visitors annually and fewer than a hundred crimes in all of 2004, Central Park is by far one of the safest urban parks in the world.
[edit] Leftovers
According to the winning design, the park was to look as natural as possible in order to create a 'refuge' from the city for the visitors, where people could relax, and find comfort.
The Saw Kill was dammed to make the Lake (illustration, right), and the spoil was laid as a curving earthen dam, with the carriage drive laid on it so naturally, that few today realize it is a dam. The solidly frozen Lake is a thing of the past, now that the Park is at the center of an urban heat island.
...a wildlife sanctuary, and grassy areas used for various sporting pursuits, as well as playgrounds for children. The park is a popular oasis for migrating birds, and thus is popular with bird watchers. The 6 mi (10 km) road circling the park is popular with joggers, bicyclists and inline skaters, especially on weekends and in the evenings after 7:00PM, when automobile traffic is banned.
[edit] Sculptures
Though Olmsted disapproved of the clutter of sculpture, a good deal has crept in. Much of the first statuary to appear in the park was of authors and poets, clustered along a section of the Mall that became known as Literary Walk. The better-known sculptors represented in Central Park include Augustus Saint-Gaudens and John Quincy Adams Ward.. The "Angel of the Waters" at Bethesda Terrace by Emma Stebbins, 1873, was the first large public sculpture commission for an American woman. The 1926 statue of the sled dog Balto who became famous during the 1925 serum run to Nome, Alaska is very popular among tourists (illustration, below left). The oldest sculpture is "Cleopatra's Needle," actually an Egyptian obelisk of Tutmose III much older than Cleopatra,which was donated to New York by the Khedive of Egypt. North of Conservatory Water, the sailboat pond, there is a larger-than-life statue of Alice, sitting on a huge mushroom, playing with her cat, while the Hatter and the March Hare look on. A large memorial to Duke Ellington created by sculptor Robert Graham was dedicated in 1997 near Fifth Avenue and 110th Street, Duke Ellington Circle.
[edit] Miscellaneous issues
The New York Philharmonic gives an open-air concert every summer on the Great Lawn and the Metropolitan Opera presents two operas. Many concerts have been given in the park including the Simon and Garfunkel reunion; Diana Ross, 1983; Dave Matthews Band, 2003.
The Central Park Medical Unit is an all-volunteer ambulance service that provides completely free emergency medical service to patrons of Central Park and the surrounding streets. CPMU also operates a rapid-response bike patrol, particularly during major events such as the New York City Marathon, the 1998 Goodwill Games, and concerts in the park.
In 2004, the organization United for Peace and Justice wanted to hold a rally on the Great Lawn in opposition to the continued occupation of Iraq. The City denied UFPJ's application for a permit, on the basis that a mass gathering on the Great Lawn would be harmful to the grass, and that such damage would make it harder to collect private donations to maintain the Park. UFPJ charged that Mayor Michael Bloomberg was willing to allow other large gatherings on the Great Lawn, but was discriminating against the demonstration so as to curry favor with the Republican Party, which was holding its quadrennial convention in New York City. Nevertheless, a court rejected UFPJ's challenge to the denial of the permit.
Central Park has one of the last stands of American Elms in the northeastern U.S., 1700 of them, protected by their very isolation from Dutch Elm Disease. Central Park was the site of the unfortunate unleashing of starlings in North America (cf. Invasive species). Central Park is a popular birding spot during spring and fall migration, when birds flying over Manhattan are attracted to the prominent oasis. Over a quarter of all the bird species found in the United States have been seen in Central Park.
In 2002 a new genus and species of centipede was discovered in Central Park. The centipede is about four-tenths of an inch (10 mm) long, making it one of the smallest in the world. It is named Nannarrup hoffmani (after the man who discovered it) and lives in the park's leaf litter, the crumbling organic debris that accumulates under the trees.
Since the late 1990s, the Central Park Conservancy, the United States Department of Agriculture, and several city and state agencies have been fighting an infestation of the Asian longhorned beetle, which has been reported in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan, including some parts of Central Park. The beetle, which likely was accidentally shipped from its native China in an untreated shipping crate, has no natural predators in the United States and the fight to contain its infestation has been very expensive. The beetle infests trees by boring a hole in them to deposit its eggs, at which point the only way to end the infestation is to destroy the tree.
| To the west: Central Park West |
Geography of New York City: Central Park |
To the east: Fifth Avenue |
[edit] See also
- The Gates, a land art project realised by Christo and Jeanne Claude in Central Park in the first two months of 2005.
[edit] References
- Art of the Olmsted landscape, Bruce Kelly, Gail T. Guillet, and Mary E. W. Hern, NY, City Landmarks Preservation Commission: Arts Publisher, 1981. SB470 .O5 K44
[edit] External links
- Official websites
- Additional information
-
- CentralPark.com - The complete Guide to Central Park
- NYC Department of Park & Recreation: Central Park
- CentralPark.org
- Forgotten NY: "The bridges of Central Park", photographs and text
- Images of America: The Central Park Zoo, photographs and text
- Photos, maps, and other images
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- Graphicalic, pictures from Central Park
- Central Park Posters, an aerial view
- NYCfoto.com - Central Park
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
