Central Park is one of NYC's best loved places to visit. A huge swathe of green covering more than 340 hectares, it's known as the lungs of New York. But before the construction of Central Park in 1858, a seven-block section along the western fringe of the park was home to Seneca Village, an African American enclave which provided its residents an escape from unhealthy conditions and pervasive racism experienced in Lower Manhattan, as well as an opportunity to become property owners and build a new community.
Newspaper reports that favored the creation of the park referred to Seneca Village as a place of shanties and shacks, but archaeological evidence and documentation from the time shows it was an educated, middle-class community. While the majority of the residents were African American, the village also had a substantial population of Irish and German immigrants. This mix of residents made it a unique example of an integrated community, especially for its time, and the Village boasted churches and a school.
When the City acquired the land for Central Park through the process of ‘eminent domain,’ the residents of Seneca Village were displaced and forgotten. In the 1990s, historians rediscovered the Village, leading to an ongoing project to uncover the history of this extraordinary place.
Visit the former site of Seneca Village with your National Geographic-trained guide who will share the stories of the people who once created a community here and see the site of the archaeological digs in Central Park, uncovering this little-known history.
Nat Geo Day Tour: The Untold Story of Central Park
- Discover the history of Central Park with a National Geographic-trained guide specializing in African American history, on a walking tour focusing on the Seneca Village area
- Learn about the people that lived within one of New York's biggest communities of African Americans
- Examine the creation of Central Park from the concept and design to the implementation
- See the site of the archaeological digs in Central Park, uncovering this little-known history
Guided tour
Guided tour
All meals
All meals
Central Park West & 85th St, New York, NY
Know in advance:
- terrain type is flat
- suitable for wheelchair users and people who struggle to walk distances
- walking distance is approx. 3km
- the tour will be walking the whole time with limited time to sit or rest
- activity level is light
- this tour can host a min. of 6 and a max. of 25 people
What people say about this experience
At the moment there are no reviews for this experience.
You might also like
Nat Geo Day Tour: Smage og fortællinger fra Brooklyns Little Caribbean
Opdag Brooklyns "Little Caribbean", et dynamisk knudepunkt for vestindisk kultur i hjertet af NYC. Tag med en lokal guide, smag på øensrnes smage, mød lokalsamfundet, og oplev en skjult perle i New York.
en
Nat Geo Day Tour: Den ufortalte historie om Central Park
Udforsk Seneca Village, et afroamerikansk samfund fra før Central Park, som blev fordrevet i forbindelse med parkbyggeriet. Det blev genopdaget i 1990'erne, og du kan dykke ned i dets unikke historie på stedet sammen med din guide.
en
Go City | New York Explorer Pass for 2 til 10 attraktioner
Dit valg af New Yorks største attraktioner, alt sammen på ét kort. Nyd store besparelser i forhold til at købe individuelle billetter til alle de bedste seværdigheder i New York
en, it, fr, es, de, +1 pt
Billetter til 9-11 Memorial and Museum
Bestil billetter til 9-11 Memorial and Museum med os for at besøge det tidligere World Trade Center og lær mere om denne skæbnesvangre dag.
New York CityPASS® fem topattraktioner
Oplev New York Citys bedste attraktioner med store besparelser, og få øjeblikkelig levering af praktiske mobilbilletter.
New York Pass® med 100+ attraktioner
Besøg så mange attraktioner, du vil, for én lav pris. Fra Empire State Building til 9-11 Museum, spar på 100+ ting at foretage si i New York.
en, it, fr, es, de, +1 pt
Frihedsgudinden og Ellis Island med forudbestilte billetter
Nyd prioriteret adgang til at besøge Frihedsgudinden og Ellis Island, når du vælger en dato og en tidsbegrænset, reserveret billet.
en, it, fr, es, ar, +4 de, ru, ja, zh
Book your New York C3® pass and save up to 34% on combined admission to your choice of three top Big Apple attractions.
Bestil denne bådtur i dag, og sejl ud på Hudson-floden mens du nyder lysene fra byen, der aldrig sover.
en
Buy your tickets to Chicago on Broadway and fall in love with the superb dancing, amazing costumes, and all that jazz.
en