Excursions & day trips

Nat Geo Day Tour: The Untold Story of Central Park

from

£62.00

Free cancellation

Language: English

Mobile voucher accepted

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Wheelchair accessible

Instant confirmation

Guided tour

Subject expert guide

Do this because

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

What to expect

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.

What's included

Guided tour

What's not included

All meals

Where

Central Park West & 85th St, New York, NY

Meeting point:

Entrance to Central Park. Please be at the meeting point at least 15 minutes in advance.

What to remember

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

Provider

Musement

Booking fee

Good news! No extra fees are applied to this booking.

Cancellation policy

Receive a 100% refund if you cancel up to 48 hours before the experience begins.

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Nat Geo Day Tour: The Untold Story of Central Park

Explore Seneca Village, a pre-Central Park African American community which was displaced for park construction. Rediscovered in the 1990s, delve into its unique history on site with your guide.

free cancellation

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