Bryant Park in Central Manhattan, NYC, on a bright October morning.
Bryant Park occupies a site which was previously a Potter’s Field, the Croton Distributing Reservoir, a Crystal Palace & Observatory and an encampment for Union Army troops during the Civil War.
The former Reservoir Square was renamed Bryant Park in 1884, to honour William Cullen Bryant, a civic reformer who was also a Romantic Poet, and editor of the New York Times.
The park was redesigned in 1934. It was designated a ‘Scenic Landmark’ in 1974, but had largely fallen into disuse as an urban amenity by 1979. The following year, a plan began to be made for turning the park around and a seven year push was begun to increase visitors to the park and reduce crime. By the end of the 20th century, the park was once again being used – with up to four thousand people being counted on sunny days.
Bryant Park reopened in April, 1992, to lavish praise from citizens and visitors, the media, and urbanists. And, as the Urban Land Institute wrote it in an award citation, “the success of the park feeds the success of the neighborhood.”
https://bryantpark.org/blog/history
Nowadays, as well as being a relaxing place in the city centre, there is a programme of cultural events, childrens’ activities, a range of classes and a winter village, complete with a free-entry ice rink. In addition, an area of the park is sectioned off as a Reading Room.
This image is copyright © Liz Leyden, all rights reserved.
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