| The honor of being one of the most famous | | | | great public park in Manhattan NYC runs from 59th |
| attractions in one of the most popular tourist | | | | Street (Central Park South) to 110th street (Central |
| attractions (which is the great city of New York) goes | | | | Park West). It is two and a half miles long and one half |
| to Central Park. This urban park covers some eight | | | | mile wide, made famous due to many appearances on |
| hundred forty three acres in some of most prime real | | | | television and in many movies. |
| estate in the world. As of 2005 the real estate value | | | | Summertime in Central Park means plenty of |
| was appraised at some $528,783,552,000 and that | | | | entertainment. The Public Theater and the Delacorte |
| includes all the attractions on the land. Central Park is | | | | Theater draw huge crowds to see some big name |
| visited by some twenty five million people each year. | | | | entertainers over the years. Carole King, The |
| The park was first opened in 1859 and completed in | | | | Supremes, Bob Marley and the Wailers, and Elton John |
| 1873. In 1963 it was named as a National Historic | | | | are among the talent that has supplied New Yorkers |
| Landmark. | | | | with great performances. Even Simon and Garfunkel |
| The years between 1860 and 1873 saw much | | | | had their reunion performance in the Park back in 1981. |
| progress made on the park with over eighteen | | | | And Central Park witnessed nearly one million |
| thousand cubic yards of topsoil transported in from | | | | attendees to see country singing superstar Garth |
| New Jersey because the original soil in the area was | | | | Brooks in a free performance in August of 1997, the |
| not fertile enough to sustain all of the trees, shrubs, and | | | | largest concert ever recorded. |
| other plants that were soon to be transplanted there | | | | Central Park is an oasis for migrating birds, an excellent |
| As an interesting side note, sheep actually grazed the | | | | area for bird watchers where over two hundred |
| grass on Sheep Meadow from around 1860 up until | | | | species have been observed, and has its own wildlife |
| 1934. It was thought that impoverished depression era | | | | inhabitants the year around. There is a large area of |
| New Yorkers might try to use them for food so they | | | | natural woods for walking as well as the Central Park |
| were moved upstate. | | | | Conservatory Garden. Additionally, the billion gallon one |
| Designers attempted to create a natural look to | | | | hundred six acre reservoir is encircled by a running |
| Central Park even though it is almost entirely | | | | track and an outdoor amphitheater. There are six miles |
| landscaped with several very natural looking lakes and | | | | of drives in the park which are used every day by |
| ponds. There are many walking tracks, equestrian | | | | bicyclists, joggers, walkers, and skateboarders along |
| bridal paths, and several ice skating rinks (one of which | | | | with many who simply use the park benches to sit |
| is a swimming pool in the months of July and August). | | | | awhile and people watch. |
| A wildlife sanctuary, the Central Park Zoo, and the | | | | A historic Carousel, grassy areas for summertime |
| outdoors Delacorte Theater where "Shakespeare in | | | | picnics, and enclosed play grounds for children make |
| the Park" is hosted during summer festivals are all part | | | | this an extremely people friendly environment which |
| of the attractions to the park. | | | | New Yorkers love to call their own. |
| The eight hundred forty three acres that comprise this | | | | |