Saving Central Park: A History and a Memoir
by Elizabeth Barlow Rogers
On This Page
Description
"The story of how one woman's long love affair with New York's Central Park led her to a job in which she was able to organize the rescue of the park from its serious decline in the 1970s, returning it to the beautiful place of recreational opportunity and spiritual sustenance it is today. Elizabeth Barlow Rogers opens with a quick survey of her early life--a middle-class upbringing in Texas; college at Wellesley, marriage, a degree in City Planning at Yale. And then her move to New York show more where she has children and, when she finds being a mother and a housewife is not enough, pours herself into the protection and enhancement of the city's green spaces. Interwoven into her own story is a comprehensive history of Central Park: its design and construction as a scenic masterpiece; the alterations of each succeeding era; the addition of numerous facilities for sports and play; and finally the "anything goes phase" of the 1960s and '70s, which was often fun but almost destroyed the park. The two narratives continue to entwine as she finds a job in the administration of Central Park, founds the Central Park Conservancy, and transforms both the park and herself--a transformation that has led to her many books, to travels that have taken her to parks and gardens around the world, and has solidified the prestige of New York's most conspicuous landmark."--Provided by publisher. show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
Interesting re Central Park and Olmsted. Other more personal material-not so much.
Ratings
Members
- Recently Added By
Lists
Non-fiction
55 works; 1 member
Author Information
14+ Works 350 Members
Trained in art history and city planning, Elizabeth Barlow Rogers is internationally recognized for her work and leadership in revitalizing public parks and gardens. Rogers was founding president of the Central Park Conservancy and of Cityscape Institute, a resource for public-private partnerships to promote creative development of outdoor urban show more public places. She also served as administrator of New York City's Central Park (1979-95). Her book, The Forests and Wetlands of New York City, won the John Burroughs Medal and was a National Book Award nominee. In the autumn of 2001, Rogers will inaugurate a course of study on landscape design at the Bard Center for the Decorative Arts, Design and Culture in New York City show less
Common Knowledge
- Important places
- Central Park, New York, New York, USA; New York, New York, USA
- Original language
- English
Classifications
- Genres
- Nonfiction, Biography & Memoir, History, Science & Nature, General Nonfiction, Art & Design
- DDC/MDS
- 333.78 — Society, government, & culture Economics Economics of land and energy Conservation, Alternative Energy Sources Recreational and wilderness areas
- LCC
- F128.65 .C3 .R642 — Local History of the United States, Canada and Latin America United States local history New York
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 29
- Popularity
- 950,719
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.00)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 4
- ASINs
- 1
