Jake Rose
Illustrations by Various Artists
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Bow Bridge
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Strawberry Fields
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Belvedere Castle
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Loeb Boathouse
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Balto Statue
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Delacorte Theater
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The Dairy
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Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater
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Charles A. Dana Discovery Center
Central Park Zoo
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Tavern on the Green
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Cleopatra’s Needle
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Alice in Wonderland Statue
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Conservatory Garden
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Bethesda Fountain
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Chess and Checkers House
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Central Park Carousel
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Kerbs Boathouse
15
Metropolitan Museum
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Wollman Rink
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1. Bow bridge Like a graceful Victorian decoration perched above Central Park’s Lake, the Bow Bridge gathers lovers of New York together in one beautiful place. On the big screen, the Bridge has been a magnificent setting in films like Manhattan, Spiderman 3, Highlander, Enchanted, and Night at the Museum. Designed in 1862 by Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould, this cast-iron bridge incorporated elements of Gothic, Neo-Classical, and Renaissance design to create an unforgettable romantic passage. Found near Bethesda Terrance at 74th Street, the breathtaking bridge spans 60 feet over the lake, connecting the serene cherry blossoms of Cherry Hill with the wooded Ramble. For anyone dedicated to finding that quintessential New York moment, Bow Bridge delivers majesty and picturesque splendor in droves.
2. Strawberry Fields Located near the Dakota Hotel, Strawberry Fields pays tribute to and commemorates the legacy of the late Beatle John Lennon. Named after the Beatles’ song Strawberry Fields Forever, Strawberry Fields is lined with elm trees, shrubs, flowers, and rocks. On the anniversaries of Lennon’s birth and death, fans from around the world flock to Strawberry Fields to pay homage to his legacy. Named after John Lennon’s “Imagine”, the black and white mosaic evokes a vision for a conflict-free world. Strawberry Fields also has a bronze plaque listing the 120 countries that have endorsed the area as a Garden of Peace. After John Lennon was shot dead at the nearby Dakota Apartments in 1980, City Council Member Henry Stern designated this area in Central Park as Strawberry Fields to honor his memory in 1981. The Central Park Conservancy landscaped the region with help from Bruce Kelley and a $1 million donation from Yoko Ono.
3. Delacorte theater As the Public Theater’s summer home, the Delacorte Theater hosts free performances of Shakespeare plays for over 100,000 people each year. Created by Public Theater founder Joseph Papp in 1954, the traveling Shakespeare Workshop found a permanent home in the 1960’s in front of Central Park’s Turtle Pond at George Delacorte Jr.’s permanent amphitheater. In 1962, the Delacorte Theater opened with a production of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice starring George C. Scott and James Earl Jones. In addition to the works of Shakespeare, the Delacorte has been home to the Public Theater’s productions of other classic works with actors such as Meryl Streep, Denzel Washington, Natalie Portman, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Richard Dreyfuss.
4. Alice in Wonderland Statue Built by José de Creeft in 1959 on East 74th Street, the Alice sculpture depicts many of Lewis Carroll’s best-known characters, including the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, the Dormouse, the Cheshire Cat, and Alice herself. Its commissioner George Delacorte dedicated the sculpture both as a tribute to his late wife Margarita and as a gift to the children of New York City. The eleven-foot tall sculpture is beloved by kids, as they can climb, touch and crawl over Alice and her friends. Through the years, thousands of hands have polished its surface smooth. De Creeft’s Alice in Wonderland sculpture brings to life Lewis Carroll’s classic story for New Yorkers of all ages to appreciate its beauty and wonder.
Photo by Stig Nygaard
6. Belvedere Castle Named for the Italian meaning “beautiful view,” Central Park’s Belvedere Castle gives park-goers stunning vistas. With its two balconies, it supplies views of Central Park’s most famous landmarks such as Delacorte Theater, the Great Lawn, Turtle Pond, and the Ramble. Designed in 1865 by Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould, Belvedere Castle was intended to be a fantasy structure that provided a great backdrop and views in Central Park. This changed in 1919 when the National Weather Service started using the castle as a weather center. In 1983, the Central Park Conservancy renovated and reopened the structure to serve as the Henry Luce Nature Observatory. Inside, visitors will find arts and crafts, scientific tools, and plenty of research. For birdwatchers, the castle is a great place to catch glimpses of hawks, kestrels, or ospreys. Through the year, Belvedere Castle hosts programs like bird-seeing trips, astronomy talks, and haunted castle events.
8. Central Park Zoo The first incarnation of the Central Park Zoo came about when New Yorkers started dropping off unwanted animals at the arsenal. In 1864, the legislature approved the construction of several buildings to house the collection, and the Central Park Zoo was born. In 1934 Parks Commissioner Robert Moses used funds to build a permanent Central Park Zoo. In 1980 the Wildlife Conservation Society partnered with New York City to renovate and operate the zoo on behalf of the Parks Department. Built in 1985, this zoo is divided into sections that provide the animals with homes as close to their natural habitat as possible. The zoo has always held a special spot in the hearts of New Yorkers who have come to adopt the animals as prized members of the community, as seen with its early collection of the iconic hippo Murphy and the first chimpanzee ever shown in the United States–Mike Crowley.
9. Central Park Conservatory Garden Located at 5th Avenue and 105th Street, Conservatory Garden is Central Park’s only formal garden. Designed by Gilmore Clarke in 1937, the six-acre Garden is arranged into three distinct styles: English, French, and Italian. Visitors can enter the garden by going through the Vanderbilt Gate, which once served as an entrance to the Vanderbilt mansion. Bordered by crabapple trees, the Italian garden contains a 12-foot high fountain, a wisteria arch, and a walkway that includes medallions inscribed with the names of the original 13 states. Showcasing displays of tulips, chrysanthemums, and holly, the French garden’s centerpiece is Walter Schott’s Three Dancing Maidens fountain. Consisting of trees, shrubs, and perennials, the English garden’s main attraction is Bessie Potter Vonnoh’s Frances Hodgson Burnett Memorial Fountain. After decades of neglect, Conservatory Garden had its first major restoration in the 1980’s and reopened in 1987. The Conservatory Garden offers a perfect setting for a stroll, a wedding, or an escape with a book.
Photo by Daniel Schwen
11. Loeb boathouse Designed by Stuart Constable in 1954, the Loeb Boathouse has evolved into a landmark restaurant that provides boating enthusiasts with rentable rowboats. Discover the ultimate urban oasis, just a short stroll into New York City’s Central Park. A haven for romantics and nature lovers, this icon offers plenty of tranquility. Whether celebrating an anniversary, meeting friends for lunch, or enjoying drinks, the Loeb Boathouse offers one-of-a-kind choices to satisfy the senses. Designed to coexist with its natural surroundings, the Loeb Boathouse is the only Manhattan venue right on a lake–allowing one to host weddings, Mitzvahs, or corporate events. While here, join the tradition and explore the lake in a rented rowboat. Better yet, ride in a Venetian gondola. With any luck, a gondolier might even break into song.
Photo by Rob Young
14. Bethesda fountain Recognized as one of the world’s most well-known fountains, Bethesda Fountain is one of New York State’s largest fountains, measuring twenty-six feet high by ninety-six feet wide. Located at the main focal point of Bethesda Terrace, its center statue Angel of the Waters features an eightfoot bronze angel who stands above four cherubim representing health, purity, temperance, and peace. The angel carries a lily in one hand while the other remains outstretched, poised in the act of delivering a blessing on the water pouring from around her feet into the fountain’s basin. This action celebrates the 1842 opening of the Croton Aqueduct, which supplied New York City with fresh water. Designed by Emma Stebbins in 1868 and dedicated in 1873, Angel of the Waters linked the pure city water flowing from the fountain to the Bethesda biblical pool’s healing powers. Revamped in 1988 by Central Park Conservancy, Bethesda Fountain remains one of the most elegant and majestic sites in Central Park.
Photo by Tomás Fano
20. Wollman Rink Opened in 1949, Wollman Rink has been a favorite attraction within Central Park as New Yorkers and tourists alike can ice-skate under a star-covered sky while surrounded by the splendid Manhattan skyline. Operated by the Trump Organization since the early 1990’s, this City-owned Central Park ice rink is an urban oasis when skaters can enjoy gorgeous views of the park while listening to the top tunes of the day. Feel the tingle of New York’s winter air, listen to the music, and take in the surroundings as you glide around the rink.
Color Central Park is filled to the brim with the park’s most iconic settings, such as Wollman Rink, Belvedere Castle, and Bow Bridge, among many others.
Through its beautiful black-and-white line drawings and detailed descriptions, “Color Central Park” masterfully highlights what makes this beautiful oasis of greenery so special to the Big Apple.
ISBN 9781948286152
www.colorourtown.com