Seneca Village

Welcome, observant travelers, to a landscape that demands both our deep historical imagination and our solemn respect. You are standing in the western perimeter of Central Park, roughly between Eighty-Second and Eighty-Ninth…

Our first major point of deep historical reflection brings us to a large, rugged physical feature that has survived the total landscaping of the park: a massive, dark rock outcropping. While it may appear to be just another piece…

Let us continue our walk up the paved path until we reach the elevated, rocky area historically known as Summit Rock. This location is incredibly significant because it is the absolute highest natural, topographical point in all…

As we move further into the footprint of the former village, we must directly confront and dismantle a pervasive, highly destructive historical myth. When the city elite proposed destroying Seneca Village in the eighteen fifties…

Follow the path as it curves gently downward, leading us toward a lush, heavily shaded, slightly damp area of the landscape. Here, we find the location of Tanner's Spring. …

As we examine the historical placards detailing the later demographics of the village, we uncover one of its most remarkable, highly unusual, and socially progressive characteristics. While Seneca Village was firmly founded by…

Our final stop within the village footprint forces us to confront the sudden, tragic, and highly unjust conclusion of this incredible community's story. By the early eighteen fifties, the population of New York City had exploded,…

As we conclude our walk through the ghosts of Seneca Village, we must engage in a profound, necessary reckoning with this incredibly complex, painful legacy. For over a century, the history of this vibrant community was…