1947 Map of Central Park

About this map

Central Park and the dense urban grid of Manhattan dominate this mid-century portrait, showing the city just after the war. The landscape is defined by its massive infrastructure and cultural institutions, from the George Washington Bridge spanning the Hudson River to the academic grounds of Columbia University and Fordham University. On the Upper West Side, the Museum of Natural History and Metropolitan Museum of Art flank the Croton Reservoir, while the spiritual centers of St Patricks Cathedral and St John Divine Cathedral stand as major landmarks.