Central Park Conservancy


Cedar Hill - Before and After

Central Park's Cedar Hill - Before and After

Central Park has been in the works for 150 years. How did 843 acres of swampy, muddy terrain become transformed into one of the world's premier public spaces? Click on Central Park History to travel back to the time of Olmsted and Vaux.

Over the past twenty years, the history of Central Park has been greatly affected by the history of the Central Park Conservancy, the private, not-for-profit organization that manages the Park under a contract with the City of New York/Department of Parks and Recreation. Visit the Conservancy History page to learn of the myriad improvements made to the Park through the contributions and hard work of citizens, corporations, and foundations.

Perhaps the single most important ingredient in the modern restoration of Central Park is the successful public/private partnership between the City of New York/Department of Parks and Recreation and the Central Park Conservancy. Click on Public/Private Partnership to get the facts on the contract to manage Central Park.

Want to know how long the Reservoir Running Track is or how many benches there are in Central Park? Check out the FAQs. Just for fun, visit Central Park in the Movies for a list of films shot in or about Central Park. Students, click on Central Park Bibliography to see an extensive list of research materials.