The History of Riverside Park

The land that would become Riverside Park was so full of natural beauty that it inspired everyone from Henry Hudson, George Washington, and Edgar Allen Poe, to Andrew Haswell Green, Frederick Law Olmsted and Robert Moses. While it is now one of New York’s most beloved green spaces, Riverside Park once hosted more goats than people. This virtual tour and slide lecture will trace the history of Riverside Park, and Riverside Drive, within the development of the Upper West Side. Along the way we will find out how the railroad turned Riverside Park into the Wild West, meet the Father of the Upper West Side, see why the neighborhood was ripe for row houses, consider the role of the City Beautiful movement in our ongoing debate around public statuary, and discover a successful history of community advocacy on the West Side that dates back to the 19th century, and continues to this day. Registration is now closed.