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
This experience meets the Global Sustainable Tourism Council criteria. By choosing this experience you can protect the places you love, care for the environment and support local communities.
- 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: La historia jamás contada de Central Park
Explora Seneca Village, una comunidad afroamericana que existía antes de Central Park. Fue desplazada para la construcción del parque y redescubierta en la década de 1990. Profundiza en su singular historia in situ con el guía.
en
Nat Geo Day Tour: Sabores y cuentos del Little Caribbean de Brooklyn
Descubre el «Pequeño Caribe» de Brooklyn, un animado centro de cultura antillana en el corazón de Nueva York. Únete a un guía local, prueba los sabores de la isla, conoce a la comunidad y recorre una joya oculta de Nueva York.
en
Reserva tu pase New York C3® y ahorra hasta un 40% en la entrada combinada a tu elección de entre las tres principales atracciones de la Gran Manzana.
en
Entradas para SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
¡Reserve su entrada ahora para acceder al SUMMIT One Vanderbilt y disfrutar de espectaculares vistas de 360 grados de la ciudad de Nueva York y más allá!
Go City | Pase New York Explorer para 2 a 10 atracciones
Elige las mejores atracciones de Nueva York, todo en un solo pase. Ahorra mucho más que comprando entradas individuales para todos los lugares de interés de Nueva York.
en, it, fr, es, de, +1 pt
Book your Edge admission tickets today and experience the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere.
Top of The Rock Entrance Tickets
Book your Top of the Rock tickets today and enjoy three floors of expansive, unobstructed views of the Big Apple!
Entradas de Broadway para Aladdin
¡Vaya a Broadway y vea el fabuloso y extravagante musical que es Aladdin!
en
Two-Day Tour to Niagara Falls, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia
Embark on a two-day tour from Manhattan to Niagara Falls, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia. Explore iconic sites and learn about U.S. history.
en, es
Entradas de reserva prioritarias para la Estatua de la Libertad y Ellis Island
Disfrute de acceso prioritario para visitar la Estatua de la Libertad y la isla Ellis cuando seleccione una entrada reservada con fecha y hora.
en, it, fr, es, ar, +4 de, ru, ja, zh