Central Park is a great work of landscape architecture and a reflection of great changes in New York City. On our walk, which will be equal parts walking tour and urban hike, we’ll explore the northern end of the Park, which features many interesting landmarks and lush greenery. We start at the site of Seneca Village, a predominately African American community that was razed during the construction of Central Park, then view additions to the park that date to the New Deal of the 1930s. Afterwards, we’ll ascend the hilly northern end of the park, passing through dense woods and a stream bank. You’ll get the chance to explore the Great Hill and a blockhouse built in 1814 in anticipation of a British invasion that never actually happened. We’ll finish at Amsterdam Avenue and West 110th Street, near Columbia University, where there are many options for food and drinks. Please wear sturdy shoes that are good for walking!

About the Tour Guide: Robert W. Snyder is professor emeritus of American Studies and Journalism at Rutgers University and Manhattan Borough Historian. He is the author of Crossing Broadway: Washington Heights and the Promise of New York and coauthor of All the Nations Under Heaven: Immigrants, Migrants and the Making of New York. He is a former Fulbright lecturer in American Studies in Korea and a member of the New York Academy History. He is married to the journalist Clara Hemphill, who writes on public education in New York City.

Please note that all program fees are nonrefundable