Bowling Green by David Johnson

The Bowling Green, New York City. Oil on canvas by artist David Johnson (1827-1908), dated 1868. Source: New-York Historical Society. View of Bowling Green and its white marble fountain, looking south from east side Broadway.

The Bowling Green was created in 1733, when a piece of land lying at the lower end of the Broadway, fronting to the Fort, was leased to make a bowling green, with walks therein for the recreation and delight of the residents of the City. In the United States, in the 18th century, public bowling greens, such as those in Williamsburg, Virginia, Boston, and New York contributed to the beauty of the town or city and provided a venue for social gatherings and recreation.

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