History of Central Park

Learn about the architectural and political history of Central Park.

From our free online course, “CitiesX: The Past, Present and Future of Urban Life”:


HarvardX empowers the faculty of Harvard University to create high-quality online courses in subjects ranging from computer science to history, education, and religion.

[toni_wood]

I saw Central Park for the first time yesterday. I was rendered speechless and in awe.

[AlexiHarding]

I love visiting the park, so learning about its history makes the experience even better! Thanks for sharing!

[pedenmk]

I have a good friend who lives near me in western North Carolina. She's from NYC and still has that accent. She's wanting to go to Manhattan and visit. Time will tell I moved here from Montana. Great Video THANKS

[chattyash]

What happened to the black people who lived there before it was a park?

[KassiaK]

lol acting insane to not be bothered is so relatable

[toni_wood]

I used to live in New York and NEVER have been to Central Park! I have seen pictures of it and would probably cry if I ever saw it in person... I often imagine and dream of getting a tour of it from my favorite male actor...and favorite singer....lol.. 🌼💐😭

[camelpeterpan]

...and it’s never mentioned how they got all that land from the already established communities/buildings 🧐🧐 seems like there would have been a shit ton of negotiations to pull that feat (I sense some whitewashing among us)

[jinjin]

How dare u ignore Seneca Village history 😤

[NYamutYN]

Is it true that when it was designed Central Park was meant to be the Emerald stone at the centre of the city? Sort of like a big giant thorn that your expected to “pick”?

[Eli-cqjq]

Thank you! Bagels & Walks posted Central Park fireworks.

[alilouise]

when i think central park i think stolen land

[paulybarr]

At .35 " The mountains of human refuge..." He means ' refuse.'

[newyorkeranew]

Much focus on Seneca Village, which is fair but isolated. For a start, the Americas were stolen from natives, often at gun point. When it came to Manhattan, the massive grid evicted a constant stream of many thousands as it bulldozed north. Finally, 1, 600 people were evicted to create Central Park, less than 300 of whom lived in Seneca Village. There was a unique tragedy in the loss of Seneca Village. Even so, when speaking about the Village, we can remember that all of those who lost their home and, often, livelihood. We can remember, too, it was part of a process that has evicted people for centuries, even today.

[michaeldicerto]

DO NOT CARVE IT INTO SMALLER PARKS. Its a treasure as is. Greedy real estate folk would love to get their paws on it.

[ccsr]

Pretty disgraceful not to mention the real history of that land and what was destroyed to make a park.

[markybarky]

All I see in central park is birkenhead
Park

[lostlakepictures]

This guy will now be what I think of when I think of pretentious Easterner types.

[TheSlynative]

This guy skipped over a pretty big part of how this obtained.

[michellebrown]

What of the Seneca Village ?? Lots of blacks and other races kicked out, so they could have their public park

[steph-dlye]

I wait for the day that Black history will be in the same category as American history