| New York City's Central Park is a vibrant, colorful | | | | Central Park. In 1963, it was declared a national |
| attraction for tourists and locals alike. The park | | | | historic landmark. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts in |
| occupies over 840 acres in Manhattan and receives | | | | the 1970s, the park suffered another rapid decline. It |
| over 25 million visitors annually. It is bordered to the | | | | was restored again in the 1980s and early 1990s, and |
| north by West 110th Street, to the west by Central | | | | remains a lively entertainment mecca today. |
| Park West, to the south by West 59th Street, and | | | | Central Park's place in pop culture is secure. |
| to the east by the famous 5th Avenue. Though it | | | | Legendary folk singers Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel |
| appears natural, Central Park, designed by Frederick | | | | played a reunion concert at Central Park, and |
| Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux, is entirely | | | | subsequently released a recording of it that went on |
| landscaped with artificial lakes, a zoo, playgrounds, | | | | to be one of their best-selling albums. In recent |
| walking trails, and ice skating rinks. | | | | years, the Park has hosted a variety of music |
| In the mid-nineteenth century, New York City was | | | | festivals, including the extremely popular Dave |
| growing at an unprecedented rate. Public open | | | | Matthews Band. It was featured in the James Bond |
| spaces, aside from cemeteries, were few and far | | | | film Live and Let Die, as well as Madagascar. J.D. |
| between. Poet William Cullen Bryant, among others, | | | | Salinger's coming-of-age novel is partially set in Central |
| began to voice a need for a larger, sanctioned public | | | | Park, while Edward Albee's drama The Zoo Story is |
| park. In 1953, New York Legislature designated over | | | | completely set in Central Park; there is even a |
| 700 acres of land to be used for a park, for a cost | | | | playground named after Diana Ross. Perhaps the |
| of about 5 million dollars. A design contest was held, | | | | most culturally significant pop culture aspect of |
| and Olmstead and Vaux's "Greensward Plan" was | | | | Central Park is Strawberry Fields-the memorial for |
| chosen. However, after the park's construction, public | | | | former Beatle and visionary John Lennon. |
| interest waivered and the park declined quickly after | | | | The park offers a wide variety of events for all |
| it was built; the political powers in New York City at | | | | ages. Tavern on the Green is a world-famous |
| the time were not interested in maintaining a 700 | | | | restaurant located on the west side of Central Park. |
| acre public facility. | | | | The Central Park Zoo opened in 1981 and remains |
| In 1934, mayor Fiorello LaGuardia appointed Robert | | | | one of the most popular attractions. The obelisk, or |
| Morris to restore and revitalize Central park. The park | | | | Cleopatra's needle, is the oldest public monument in |
| underwent major construction and redesigning; | | | | North America. Finally, the Central Park carousel |
| athletic fields were constructed and the walking trails | | | | located at mid-park is a quaint family attraction. The |
| were adjusted for automobiles. In the 1960s, the | | | | original park carousel opened in 1871; the current |
| park thrived as a symbol for counter-culture events | | | | carousel was built in 1951 and is one of the country's |
| and urban revival. Many rock concerts, political | | | | largest merry-go-rounds. |
| events, and Shakespearean plays took place in | | | | |