Central Park ’ s Named Gates

Central Park has a handful of named gates spread around the Park’s six-mile perimeter. Most of these gates are named to honor the people and professions—merchants, artisans, inventors—that made up the City in the 1860s. But why?

In the mid-19th century, park gates were typically named after famous people or military victories. But the Central Park commissioners decided to do something more inclusive: naming the gates after everyday New Yorkers and their many different professions and identities. By adopting these gate names, the commissioners hoped to emphasize the open nature of Central Park.