- Blog #16
“Go take a walk in the park…Central Park!”
Whether you are a city or urban dweller, visitor or resident, there is always something wonderful happening in Central Park! It doesn’t matter if you walk a pet daily, or visit occasionally, mother nature is always updating the décor! She is also a terrific decorator, with a little help from the parks department. The following is a mini pictorial stroll past some of mother nature’s highlights beginning on an eastern path heading into the park. First Stop on the way is a wonderful statue so famous a tiny fellow admirer decided to photo-bomb the shot!
The Statue of, Balto
In January 1925, a diphtheria outbreak threatened the children of Nome, Alaska, some 700 miles from the medicine they needed in Anchorage. In a story that captivated the world, twenty sled dog teams relayed precious medicine through blinding snow and subzero temperatures, with an intrepid Siberian husky named Balto completing the final 53-mile leg of the journey.
Since no plane or ship could reach the isolated town, a unanimous decision was made to use 20 dogsled teams to transport the medicine across the dangerous land, including that of Leonhard Seppala, Alaska’s most venerated musher. Amazingly, in just five and a half days,. Though Balto often gets the credit for saving the town of Nome, it was Togo, a Siberian Husky, who led his team across the longest and dangerous final leg of the journey.
People followed the race around the globe through newspapers and radio, as Balto became a worldwide sensation. Kaasen, his driver was blinded by a blizzard, that flipped the sled off the trail. Kaasen had to place all his trust in Balto. As second-to-last on the relay, Kaasen missed the hand-off to the last team (being snow-blind) but persevered on to Nome. They made it! The serum arrived on February 2, in time to halt the epidemic.
who was the true savior to halt the epidemic. All told, Togo a 12-year-old Husky and Seppala traversed an astounding 264 miles. While the other teams each averaged 31 miles, by the time Togo led him to deliver the diphtheria anti-toxin was attributed to Balto who received credit for saving the town. Balto actually ran the last relay of 55 miles to the final delivery, while Togo's leg of the journey was by far the longest and most dangerous!
A group of New York City artists, led by Cecilia Beaux, felt strongly that Togo should be commemorated in Central Park, so they raised the funds to create a statue. Sculpted by Frederick Roth, Balto (the younger husky) was erected on an outcropping in Central Park on December 17, 1925. Balto and Gunnar Kaasen were present for the monument’s unveiling, making this statue the only effigy in Central Park with the honoree present at the unveiling.
The significance and heroic efforts of Balto and his fellow huskies, continues to be a beloved sculpture for kids and adults alike. The creator Frederick Roth also made other treasured sculptures throughout the Park — Mother Goose, Honey Bear, Dancing Goat, and the Sophie Loeb Fountain, which depicts scenes from Alice in Wonderland, in the James Michael Levin Playground. Roth also created limestone reliefs in the Central Park Zoo that depict antelopes, birds, monkeys, and other animals.
Like Balto, various statues in Central Park commemorate major events, people, and/or periods in American history. In addition, many Park statues represent some of the most important sculptors and stylistic movements of the 19th and 20th centuries. The Conservancy provides the thoughtful care that Park statues require, so that they continue to benefit those who enjoy them now, and those who will enjoy and learn from them in the decades to come. Thanks in part to many movies made of this heroic journey to save Nome, we have this heroic sled dog of Alaska.
Continuing north until the path becomes a Promenade…called the Mall
The Central Park Mall leading to Bethesda Terrace, runs through the middle of the Park from 66th to 72nd street. This formal feature was created by Olmsted and Vaux as a naturalistic “open air reception hall". The Mall was designed to accommodate the width of carriages dropping off passengers at the northern starting point. Continuing to be a gathering place it is now host to artists, skateboarders, and musicians. Strolling visitors and locals often slow to admire the huge number of American elms that line the promenade. Popular at the time of their planting, these sky reaching trees are rare and uncommon today. The Central Park Mall is now host to one of largest plantations of majestic American elms.
Continuing north toward the entrance to a world-famous terrace, beautiful inside and out
The Bethesda Fountain, is the gorgeous focal point of the Bethesda Terrace, is one of the largest fountains in New York, measuring twenty-six feet high by ninety-six feet wide. It is one of the most well-known fountains in the world and was the only sculpture to have been commissioned as a part of Central Park's original design.This neoclassical sculpture, also known as Angel of the Waters, features an eight-foot bronze angel who stands above four small cherubim representing health, purity, temperance, and peace. The angel herself carries a lily in one hand while the other remains outstretched, poised in the action of delivering a blessing on the water pouring from around her feet and into the basin at the bottom of the fountain. This is to commemorate the 1842 opening of the Croton Aqueduct, which supplied New York City with fresh water. Angel of the Waters was designed by Emma Stebbins in 1868 and dedicated in 1873. Stebbins became the first woman to receive commission for a major work of art in New York.
Moving north lies the classic elegance of “The Boathouse, where visitors can test their luck with oars among the local residences!
When the statue of Alice in wonderland was created and named, the artist must certainly have planned it- with a good sprinkling of Children!
In hopes you enjoyed the tour; this musical troupe will be waiting for you to return…
Quote of the Week:
Balto:
Since when do you need a pedigree to help someone?
Since when do you need a pedigree to help someone?
Thank you Alan and Shirley. This "walk" through Central Park was very interesting AND informative. I particularly love the story about Balto and Togo. WOW, who knew??
ReplyDeleteNicholas,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link and the connectivity. when will the family be together, again?