A Stroll Through Central Park Quiz | USA

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Central Park in New York City was created in 1857. It sits on 843 acres of land and receives well over 30 million visitors a year. In which of the five boroughs of the city can this national treasure be found?

Answer: Manhattan

Originally created in 1857, Central Park wasn't officially completed until 1873. In 1962, it was designated as a National Historical Landmark. It was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. The pair won a contest in 1858 to design the park with an entry they called the Greensward Plan. The park is in the shape of a rectangle and is bordered by West 110th Street, West 59th Street, 8th Avenue and Fifth Avenue.

Central Park has numerous public activities that run at different times of the year. It boasts over 24,000 trees including 1700 American Elms. Many species of plants, birds and animals live there, including the red-tailed hawk and the eastern chipmunk. There are also more than 20 playgrounds and many baseball fields and handball courts.

2. As we stroll through Central Park, we notice that works of art feature prominently in the landscape. There are nearly 50 sculptures, fountains and monuments to be seen with many found on the famous "Literary Walk". Which of the following artistic additions to the park was created by Emma Stebbins, the first woman to receive a sculptural commission in New York City history?

Answer: Angel of the Waters

"Angel of the Waters" is also known as Bethesda Fountain, which is located at Bethesda Terrace in the park. The statue is made of bronze and is an eight foot tall female angel with wings, standing on top of the fountain which has two levels. The bottom level features four cherubs around the main post. Water spouts from numerous places on the fountain.

Emma Stebbins (1815-1882) was a New York City native and came from a wealthy family. She also created a bronze statue of Horace Mann, which can be found at the State House in Boston.

3. Our stroll through Central Park shows us vast greenery of trees and an enormous open field of grass in the shape of an oval. This marks the spot where the New York Philharmonic performs every summer, and where many famous concerts happened over the years, which include Barbara Streisand, Garth Brooks, and Simon and Garfunkel. What is the name of this place in the park?

Answer: Great Lawn

Streisand performed her famous concert here in 1968. Simon and Garfunkel had their reunion in 1981, and Garth Brooks performed on the Great Lawn in 1997. The Metropolitan Opera also presents two shows each year. There is approximately 136 acres of woodlands in Central Park. "The Ramble" makes up the largest part of this, taking up 38 acres.

The Great Lawn wasn't created until 1937. It sits on the original location of the Croton Reservoir, which was drained in 1931 and later filled in when a new water tunnel was built. The Central Park Conservancy is responsible for its 55 acre upkeep as well as the whole park.

4. Large parks are sometimes adorned with bridges and archways. Central Park is no exception. During our stroll, we specifically notice something unique about these beautifully designed features. What is it?

Answer: No two are the same

No two are the same. Original Central Park designer Calvert Vaux designed all the bridges and archways in the park, which total 36, and intentionally made them all different. Over the years, many fell into disrepair but the Central Park Conservancy has restored them all. They are all named, and some are cleverly hidden in the landscape. Mountcliff Arch is notable as the bridge is 48 feet high and 102 feet long. Its Tuscan arch is 16 feet high and 21 feet wide. It is located in Central Park West.

Three of the original bridges have been lost. Spur Rock Arch, located at 7th Avenue, got in the way when they expanded Heckscher Playground and it was demolished in 1934. Marble Arch at 66th Street was demolished in 1938 because of car traffic. Outset Arch was removed when the Central Park Zoo was built, because it was in the way.

5. As we reach the midway point of our delightful visit to Central Park, we come across a strange-looking object. It is a giant Egyptian obelisk standing right there in the middle of mighty New York City. What name was given to this foreign wonder?

Answer: Cleopatra's Needle

Cleopatra's Needle stands about 68 feet high and is made of red granite. It is one of two that were constructed by Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III, around 1450 BC. The other obelisk is in London, England. The obelisk has many hieroglyphs written on it. This little area of the park also includes a sundial and an ancient style playground with climbing pyramids.

The obelisk was gifted to the U.S. in 1877 by the Khedive of Egypt. It was then brought to New York and erected in Central Park on February 22, 1881. William Vanderbilt offered to finance the move of this colossal object at a cost of over $100,000 which at the time was a fortune. Cleopatra VII had the obelisks moved from their original place to a temple in Alexandria in Egypt in the first century BC.

6. Our day in Central Park takes us past Turtle Pond where we see a building that appears to be from Victorian England. What sort of structure is it?

Answer: Castle

Belvedere Castle was built in 1869. It overlooks Great Lawn and its tower is the highest point in Central Park. It was home to the New York Meteorological Observatory until it moved to the Rockefeller Center in the 1960s.

The castle was closed to the public following the move of the Observatory and deteriorated. It was restored and re-opened in 1983 as the Henry Luce Nature Observatory. The castle has become a popular place for bird-watching, and it hosts family programs on nature and astronomy.

7. A stroll through Central Park just wouldn't be complete without a visit to the zoo. At only six and a half acres in size, it is a small zoo and has only three major exhibit areas. Was the Central Park Zoo part of the original design?

Answer: No

The original design by Olmsted and Vaux did not call for any animal sanctuary. About two years after the park opened in 1857, it began receiving exotic animals as gifts and a small menagerie was created in the park at Fifth Avenue facing East 64th Street. In 1864, it received a charter from New York's assembly and officially became a zoo. In 1934, upgrades were installed including new buildings and a sea lion pool.

The zoo was closed in 1983 and completely overhauled over the next five years. It re-opened in 1988 at a total cost of $14 million dollars. Today the zoo houses over 150 animal species. The sea lion pool is still in operation and there is a petting zoo for kids.

8. As our stroll through Central Park continues along Turtle Pond, we come across an open-air amphitheatre. It has seating for over 1800 and is home to a summer festival dedicated to the works of a certain English bard. Who is he?

Answer: William Shakespeare

The Delacorte Theatre is named after George T. Delacorte Jr., who donated money for it to be built in 1961. In 1962, Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" was the first play to be performed starring George C. Scott and James Earl Jones.

"Shakespeare in the Park" is the name of the festival and typically runs from the start of June through the start of September. Tickets are free and people line up to get them. Shakespeare's works are always included in the line up but other works have also been included. Meryl Streep, Al Pacino and Anne Hathaway are just a few of the notable actors who have performed at this festival.

9. During our splendid walk through Central Park, we notice there are some bodies of water. We are a little surprised as we also see smiling children with fishing rods. Which water body in Central Park offers a catch-and-release fishing program to the public?

Answer: Harlem Meer

There are seven water bodies in Central Park altogether accounting for roughly 150 acres in total. Harlem Meer is situated in the north east corner of the park at 106th St. Meer is the Dutch word for lake and was named as a show of respect to the Dutch settlers who founded Harlem.

It boasts a swimming pool, skating rink, two playgrounds and a small community centre which offers programs to the public. The fishing program runs from April to October and fishing rods are free to borrow. Large mouth bass, sunfish, carp and pickerel are some of the fish species found in the water.

10. As we come to the end of our day in Central Park, we have seen so much and are getting a little tired. What one thing does the park have over 9000 of for people to make use of?

Answer: Benches

If you placed all the benches end to end in Central Park, they would stretch seven miles. Many of these benches are placed in the park's "Quiet Zones", which are designated as relaxing escape areas from the noisier sections you can visit. In all, there are eight quiet zones. There are more than 150 drinking fountains and 20 restrooms scattered about the park.

There is much more to do and see at Central Park including rides on the Carousel, a film festival, bird watching, driving on the parkways and more.

Source: Author johnnycat777

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Pagiedamon before going online.
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A Stroll Through Central Park Trivia Quiz

Come along with me for a stroll through one of the world's most famous parks for some trivial fun!

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