The idea to set aside space for a public park in Manhattan came to William Cullen Bryant as early as 1884. A journalist, poet, and political activist (New York's Bryant Park is named after him), Bryant was inspired by the city parks of Paris and London. More than a decade later, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux began designing the rolling lawns and picturesque vistas that would become Central Park, the first landscaped park in the country.

Building the park was not an easy task; the land was primarily swamps, bluffs, and rocky outcroppings. Thousands of workers blasted rock and then planted trees and grass in its place. Some six bodies of water, three dozen bridges, and miles of irrigation pipes were part of the undertaking. Workers planted more than 400 varieties of trees and nearly 1,000 types of shrubs. A significant number of residents living on the site were displaced.

Slowly the park emerged, stretching from Fifty-ninth Street on the south end to 110th Street on the north. From Fifth Avenue across to Central Park West, the equivalent of Eighth Avenue, the marvelous park became the crown jewel of the city, with fancy carriages and well-dressed New Yorkers parading along the paths. Since its completion, the park has become a refuge for New Yorkers and visitors looking for a respite from the busy city streets.

Today, Central Park is a haven for a myriad of activities as varied as New Yorkers themselves — bicycling, rollerblading, meditating, jogging, boating, folk singing, ice skating, arguing politics, strolling, or taking a ride in a horse-drawn carriage. You'll find poets and peasants, kids and grannies, and people playing Frisbee, softball, football, guitars, tennis, chess, and checkers, as well as people flying kites. There are great rocks for climbing, horses for riding, and places to sit and listen to concerts under the stars. From sunbathing to folk dancing, Central Park is the ultimate resort, and except for a few sites and activities that charge an admission, it's all free.

On a spring, summer, or warm fall or winter day, the park gives you the opportunity to step into another world within the city. The high-rise buildings flank the outskirts of the great park. As you venture deeper, the sounds of traffic and the fast pace that is New York City fade away. Everything in Central Park moves at a slower pace, except perhaps the rollerbladers (who, incidentally, are banned from certain areas). Strolling through, you'll find yourself stopping to enjoy street performers, including musicians, jugglers, mimes, dancers, and clowns. Buy a pretzel, climb the side of a giant rock formation, or simply toss down a blanket and lie on the grass. Designated quiet areas prohibit radios without earphones or musicians from disturbing your escape from the world.

Completely manmade, Central Park is full of sights, statues, lakes, ponds, bridges, and the second-most popular zoo in the city. Many of the best-known sights and landmarks within the park have been there since the nineteenth or early twentieth century.