Here are a few things you may never have known about Bryant Park:
1. It Was Once a Potter’s Field
In the early 19th century, before it became a park, the land served as a potter’s field, or a public burial ground for the poor and unclaimed. Around 1823, over 100,000 bodies were buried here!
📚 2. It Sits Atop the New York Public Library’s Basement
Beneath Bryant Park lies one of the world’s largest underground library stacks! The New York Public Library’s main branch extends under the park, housing millions of books in climate-controlled vaults connected by conveyor belts.
🎭 3. Site of the First Fashion Week
The park was once the hub of New York Fashion Week. Designers showcased their collections in large tents right on the lawn, bringing international glamour to Midtown Manhattan.
⛸️ 4. Winter Village Magic
Each winter, Bryant Park transforms into a Winter Village complete with a free ice skating rink, holiday shops, and festive food kiosks. It’s one of NYC’s favorite seasonal attractions and draws visitors from all over.
🎬 5. It’s a Hollywood Star
Bryant Park has made many on-screen appearances! It’s been featured in movies like Ghostbusters, Spider-Man 3, The Adjustment Bureau, and TV shows like Friends and Gossip Girl.
⚔️ 6. Once a Civil War Encampment
During the Civil War, Union troops used the site (then called Reservoir Square) as a military encampment. A few years later, it was renamed Bryant Park in honor of William Cullen Bryant, a poet and newspaper editor.
📈 7. A Story of Urban Renewal
By the 1970s, Bryant Park had become rundown and dangerous. In the 1990s, a remarkable transformation occurred thanks to a public-private partnership. Today, it’s a model of successful urban revitalization, boasting over 12 million visitors a year.
🐝 8. Hidden Beehives
Bryant Park hosts beehives on its roof, maintained by the Bryant Park Corporation. The bees help pollinate flowers and trees in the park, and the honey they produce is sometimes shared with visitors at events!
Join our tours to find out more:
*****
