A Short History Lesson of Bethesda Terrace

Here’s another shot of Bethesda Terrace (I hope you enjoyed my first one. You can find it here) I wanted to give you a little history of this wonderful hidden gem in the big city.

The terrace was one of the first structures to be built-in Central Park which construction starting in 1859 and continuing through the civil war. It was completed in 1863. It was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. The designers wanted to create a place where people could enjoy nature as well as hold social gatherings. It was to be “a place to see and be seen while mingling with like-minded people,”  while escaping the stress of city life.

There is an upper and lower terrace which are connected by a two grand staircases and a smaller staircase that leads to “the Mall and Bethesda Fountain.”

Click on the image to enlarge (it really does look better) or to Purchase a print.

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