Central Park: Then and Now
Today in the center of Manhattan, New York lays a vast green space of flora, fauna, lakes, fields, walking paths and much more. This great plot lush land, known as Central Park however, was not always a part of this city. In fact, prior to its existence, Central Park was carefully thought about, planned and designed by people, rather than nature.
In the mid-1840’s New York City had grown into a bustling urban terrain with a large population, crowded tenement buildings, cramped neighborhoods and little open space. It was around this time that many public figures, such as William Cullen Bryant and Andrew Jackson Downing began to call for an open large space accessible to those of New York City. Many argued that such a place would be the “lungs” of the city and would combat against diseases thought to be airborne. In 1857 the park’s early stages of development were finally put into action when the city held a competition for best design of Manhattan’s new park. Landscape designer, Frederick Law Olmstead won with his Central Park Greensward Plan[1].
Olmstead’s vision for the usage of Central Park was quite different from how New Yorkers believe a park should be used today. According to Olmstead, Central Park was to serve as an open space for the common workingman to sit and enjoy nature after a long day of factory work. Olmstead’s ideal Central Park was one in pristine condition, in which people would observe, relax, stroll and engage in mental activities like conversations and chess. This, in Olmstead’s time was the perfect way to achieve healthy living due to the notion that bad air and an absence of open space to breathe in was the cause of many 19th century diseases. Today however, Central Park is a place where people are encouraged to run, exercise and engage in sports. The park’s use has evolved with modern notions of what is healthy[2].
One feature of Central Park that truly embodies how we view parks today is the Great Lawn. This well-known space in Central Park was not actually in Olmstead’s Greensward Plan.
Originally, the area that the Great Lawn now sits in was the Crouton Reservoir. The reservoir was eventually drained in 1931 after a water tunnelwas built in its place nearly 15 years prior. The drained reservoir remained undeveloped for a few years until the city decided to create a large grassy field. Eight baseball diamonds were constructed into the corners of the lawn in 1950.Although the diamonds suffered from overuse and lack of care in the 1960’s and 1970’s, they are now well kept and in good shape. Today the Great Lawn serves as a place to play sports, tan, people-watch and is even home many annual outdoor concerts. The Great Lawn shows us that, unlike Olmstead’s park, today’s modern park is not only a lush place to sit, chat and enjoy nature but also a place for entertainment and recreation.[3]
[1] Gandy, Matthew. Concrete and Clay: Reworking Nature in New York City. Cambridge Mass. [etc.: MIT, 2003. Print.; Olmstead, Frederick L. “Public Parks and the Enlargement of Towns.” American Social Science Association (1870): 1-36. Print.
[2] Ibid.
[3] “Great Lawn | Your Complete Guide to Central Park.” Your Complete Guide to New York City’s Central Park | CentralPark.com. Web. 17 Sept. 2011. <http://www.centralpark.com/guide/attractions/great-lawn.html>.
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