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F Is for Fifth Avenue

 
Once upon a time there was an enchanted lake...

You think you've entered an enchanted kingdom and if you turn your head you'll see a handsome prince on a white horse arriving to rescue the princess in the far tower. But his beautiful and bucolic scene is thirty yards from an entrance to the Fifth Avenue subway station. We owe this scene and the other photographs of Central Park to Frederick Law Olmstead, one of America's pioneer landscape architects. Olmstead began work with the English architect, Calvert Vaux, in 1857 and the first area of the park was opened to the public in 1858.

Spring and forsythias come to Central Park

Olmstead and Vaux created a jewel of 843 acres in the center of Manhattan. One hundred and fifty acres are in seven bodies of water, 250 acres of lawns and 136 acres of woodland. The benches in the photograph are a few of the 9,000 in the park. They would stretch seven miles if placed end to end.

Few places are more idyllic than Central Park on a sunny spring day.
 
 

A detail of the wall surrounding the park and the sign for the 5th Avenue Subway Station.

I've enjoyed our visit to beautiful Central Park and the A to Z Blogging Challenge and I hope you have, too. I fell behind in the alphabet -- my dear friend L was visiting -- but I've got all of my photographs for G ready to go. My hint for G is that it was almost lost to the wrecking ball, but very fortunately was saved. You'll see the beauty that was preserved tonight. Please stop by!

As ever, thanks for visiting and have a wonderful Sunday.    

7 comments

Chatty Crone said...

I have heard of 5th Avenue in New York and I bet I was there years ago. I watch Kelly and Ryan and they talk about NY all the time. Seems like fun.

Janet said...

So very pretty! Love to sit on that bench for a while and watch the people pass by. Thanks for sharing.

Janet

Janet’s Smiles

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

It does look like the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon. I always love catching a glimpse of it in some of my favorite movies! Hugs!

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said...

Central Park is a wonder!

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

You are blessed to have a park in a big city like yours. The subway surely does make it easy for you to visit. Still cold yet but we are to warm up a little bit each day of this week they say. Maybe soon the forsythia will be blooming here.

TARYTERRE said...

central park seems like the perfect spot in the heart of the city. that's alot of benches.

JazzFeathers said...

Central Park must really be beautiful. Loved that first photo. And yes, it is unexpected :-)