The NYC Parks Photo Archive is a collection of over 200,000 images of New York City parks dating from 1856 to present.
The Parks Photo Archive contains comprehensive images of parks acquisition, development and use, including design and construction improvements, special events, significant features, general park activities, and aerial views.
In this New Yorker article, take a look at some cool vintage photographs of New York City's parks from Central Park's camel lawn-mowers in 1869, to squatters at Inwood Hill in 1934.
![Music in the Park, Brooklyn, 1897.](https://cdn.viewing.nyc/assets/media/4db03113b9840d7073e36ca06a1f6046/elements/f268641a6cd4fb7fc0dd12b2bb5259b8/xl/f39dfd89-1dd0-4e7a-ade0-c38e4e724578_2x.jpg)
![Row boats at Orchard Beach, Bronx, 1938](https://cdn.viewing.nyc/assets/media/86d40b3094bfbd06d9edd65ae8adcbbc/elements/e58b87f2fd3c59cf990a27a54ba21e67/xl/98d62ada-cb7f-4c32-85e5-dba6d277b29b_2x.jpg)
![Squatters, Inwood Hill Park waterfront, 1934.](https://cdn.viewing.nyc/assets/media/1383adf26d558cc5d860f84dcf72e784/elements/b239b684aa7b3cca3c04394b530e041a/xl/46b9e86b-caf3-405c-ad6e-39f9bc31abed_2x.jpg)
![Amateur boxing class, Colonial Park Pool, New York, 1942.](https://cdn.viewing.nyc/assets/media/d042715e4b156742c9dfd8ba1fb9899d/elements/c25ac0a30d05eaa90d3f9b20bc61c56f/xl/b24f78a9-8889-4141-8362-9e7863d14376_2x.jpg)
![A camel hitched to a lawn mower, Sheep Meadow, Central Park, 1869.](https://cdn.viewing.nyc/assets/media/456a4ffa4aa738a7d6698ce21305f3e5/elements/1eb6c1f2985509f37100661366e838de/xl/e8885ad6-5ab8-457e-8f45-e4ba5e815c52_2x.jpg)
![The Fifth Annual Black World Championship Rodeo, Colonel Charles Young Playground, New York, 1988.](https://cdn.viewing.nyc/assets/media/6354f02627c4504090669809030717c8/elements/c9d3eafc02633f2a5fdc8481409adf0c/xl/74519b36-6257-4613-a8da-ef2268ee0c61_2x.jpg)
![Astoria Pool, Queens, 1936.](https://cdn.viewing.nyc/assets/media/bfee2acc05f3a027ebe1eaded36747c7/elements/b02b62b8a7a6ff4ca86cc5f3420ea028/xl/be66a22f-a8f0-4c1b-9994-56fa460cbc44_2x.jpg)
![East River Drive celebration, zookeepers with Anna and Jiggs, 1935.](https://cdn.viewing.nyc/assets/media/d18aa271815696ddb109539afd2cfd97/elements/6f5f004a9ef67d74501b84f3aed4dd71/xl/b68da3fb-69c1-4dfc-baf0-2e6954d2512d_2x.jpg)
![Learn to Swim program at Astoria Pool, Queens, 1940.](https://cdn.viewing.nyc/assets/media/afefd6f4e3be4e1aa58581b183e0891f/elements/78b590082a0fde71ac7391c7e299bc6b/xl/721eb533-b8af-4914-ae67-62a3ceae5c3c_2x.jpg)
![Castle building event, 1966.](https://cdn.viewing.nyc/assets/media/36096d9f8e602f90781dd1a032addbb7/elements/ecc59a6461366fbc40b1d33e49ec2329/xl/d0fe3b28-4eef-4313-860f-155f1bcd504d_2x.jpg)
![Sheep and admirers on the Long Meadow, Prospect Park, circa 1895.](https://cdn.viewing.nyc/assets/media/ad9dbde5a7a9424b421d7b5053c6e05d/elements/27b5e71c4048f9751e36fe8d991745f5/xl/7ba0ca3f-b53a-429d-9c6f-edf4e67ea14a_2x.jpg)
![Labor Crew, Riverside Drive at 110th Street, 1934.](https://cdn.viewing.nyc/assets/media/d423a19cba01594d0955452d80c55bf4/elements/eb27a244ff2f625df7a69f2bdca55ad8/xl/000b5932-d4d2-47ec-bfd2-6b5884ac914f_2x.jpg)
![Orchard Beach Re-Opening Day, Bronx, 1989.](https://cdn.viewing.nyc/assets/media/0228847f8b129d5c893e9adbb70b2f29/elements/a39385df281993c9b203639a7a0c56b1/xl/51bdcbfe-f2a7-4dd7-956e-9d97bfe80e1d_2x.jpg)
via The New Yorker
Something wrong with this post? Let us know!