The Creation of the Park

On the a website labeled Peter Pan tours, an official website through the Central Park website that gives lighthearted and fun tours to people in a bike and carriage vehicle, there is an article which details an extensive history of Central Park from the beginning of its creation to its official opening where the entirety of the park was opened to New Yorkers and tourists alike. One of the ideas put forth in the article which stood out to me was the mention of Central Park standing as a testimony to American democracy. Prior to the creation of Central Park, the population grew four times its size between the years of 1821 and 1855. In fact, the park itself was never considered in the original plan for the city, also known as the commissioner's plan. The lack of planning for public space demonstrated to the people that the city intended to continue building tight, uncomfortable living spaces for the growing population. The lack of planning for a public space for citizens of New York also demonstrates, at least to me, that the city planners had no intention of designing the city for the people of New York, but instead for the industrialist business owners--packing the citizens into the island of Manhattan like sardines in a can. The people, obviously uncomfortable with the lack of space and privacy, began to gather in open spaces like cemeteries. After much talk and conversation between all sorts of New Yorkers, lower class and upper class alike, it became apparent the need and demand for a public space could not be ignored any longer. As a suiting way of expressing American capitalism and democracy, a contest was held and the winners were Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olsmsted along with what they called the "Greensward plan".