This location was not originally meant to exist. If everything had gone according to arrangement, this entire area would certainly have been filled with buildings and streets and intersections just like the rest of Manhattan. In truth, there are still tiny metal markers hidden under the ground… almost completely invisible markers …. to show that was indeed plan.
These little tiny markers were put there back when New York City was put on a strict grid system; between then and now, it became more crowded with each year; the surveyors worked their way across the island, hammering these markers in place so that when the city was finished being built, they would know exactly where to build the future streets and intersections. The idea back then was to create systems to make the best use of land and have an organized city that continued to be developed northward.
At some point, however, people began to realise that living in a completely developed city, with no parks, would not make the best fit for a human being. Overcrowding, bad living conditions, and not enough good air to breathe became major issues. So rather than continue developing Manhattan using the original grid, they erased a large section of Manhattan and created a park.
Making Central Park wasn’t just about drawing maps — they had to create something that wasn’t just empty, either! There were still approx. 2000 people living there, too; a community called Seneca Village was living in that area with various other neighborhoods ripped out completely to open up that area for urban development. That is just one aspect of this story that doesn’t get told; but it’s an important part of how the park developed into what it is today.
Manhattan has an especially old, stable bedrock — and some of that bedrock has existed for more than 100 million years! Since bedrock is wonderful for supporting tall buildings (skyscrapers), it’s not so great when you need to alter the ground’s features to make them fit together. In order for workers to blow up, dig up and haul away great amounts of bedrock, it required substantial effort to create the rolling hills and open fields that look very natural.
The rock outcroppings you can walk on? They are not artificial; they are real, very old rock. The lakes, number of curves, and large numbers of trees, as well as twists and turns along paths were done with detailed plans and executed so that they give the appearance of nature while not being wild.
Walk through the park, and you’ll see something that could easily be missed. The park has winding, curved paths that meander and divide rather than being parallel and straight, as with the surrounding city. This was done to create a sense of slowness in the park and to provide visual separation from the surrounding grid system.
In addition to the curvy paths, there is an open field that used to support grazing sheep in order for the park to have a distinctly European feel when it was established. Nowadays the open space has given way to people lying in the grass or getting together for momentous occasions like the crowds that came together to watch the moon landing via broadcast.
As you continue on, you’ll come across an unassuming yet peaceful memorial located outside of the more popular areas of the park but connected to music history. The monument has become a gathering place for musicians and others who want to keep the spirit of their predecessors alive in an understated manner.
In addition to the memorial and open field, there is also a large wooded area in the park that feels as if you have left New York City entirely when you are inside of it. It too has many twists and turns and is intentionally laid out in a way that makes it seem complicated; however, the real purpose is to encourage you to get lost and escape from the craziness of one of the largest cities in the world.
As you climb further up, you may notice a stone building at an elevation above you made from a hard surface underneath. It’s constructed from the original building stones that were used to create New York City, and it was built simply as a place for visitors to sit while taking in the view—an opportunity to pause before continuing with their activities.
And way up north is the oldest known structure in New York; a former fortress hastily erected during past centuries. Once an integral part of New York City’s past; the fortress is one of the last remnants of this historic period.
These structures (including the parks and all the trails within the parks) have all been created because the original design for the city of New York failed to adhere to its established guidelines.
Each of these small metallic markers scattered throughout the park are subtle reminders of how New York City may have been if Central Park had not been in existence; simply another of many grid squares that make up our beloved city.
In the midst of all the hustle and bustle, we have an enormous amount of peace that appears as if it were created by mistake, but in truth it is anything but!
