Bethesda Terrace and Fountain, Central Park

The Bethesda Terrace and fountain in Central Park, New York City, about 1900. Source: New York State Archives. Education Department Division of Visual Instruction. Color version on the right.

The Bethesda Terrace in Central Park. Bethesda Terrace is located at the north end of the promenade known as the Mall. The Bethesda Fountain stands in the center of the Terrace.

In the first half of 19th century, the area was sparsely populated, it was home to small farms, industrial uses, and dwellings scattered between areas of marshland and rocky hills. The Park first opened for public use in 1859. The masonry of the Bethesda Fountain was installed by 1863 and officially completed in 1873. Central Park was officially opened in 1876. Today, other main attractions in the park include the Ramble and Lake, Hallett Nature Sanctuary, the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, and Sheep Meadow, Wollman Rink, Central Park Carousel, Zoo, the Delacorte Theater and others. Central Park is a National Historic Landmark and a Scenic Landscape of the City of New York.