5 Pieces of Prospect Park’s Past
In celebration of the Park's 150th Anniversary, Brooklyn Historical Society and Prospect Park Alliance present The Means of a Ready Escape: Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, an exhibition that highlights the 150-year social history of Brooklyn’s Backyard. The exhibition, on view through September 2018, features images and objects that bring Prospect Park’s illustrious past to life.
In this slide show, exhibition curator Marcia Ely, Vice President of Programs and External Affairs at Brooklyn Historical Society, and Prospect Park Alliance Archivist Amy Peck weigh in on a few of their favorite items in the show.
“This 1861 map (top) of the original design for Prospect Park shows Flatbush Avenue running straight through the middle of the Park. The map is the work of Egbert L. Viele. Following the Civil War, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux replaced Viele as the park designers, and one of the first changes they made was reorienting the perimeter of the Park such that Flatbush no longer dissected it, rather it bordered the Park. It's always fun to describe this original plan to those familiar with Prospect Park. They are universally incredulous at the notion of Flatbush dividing the Park in two!"
Marcia Ely, Brooklyn Historical Society
“This rendering is not only painstakingly drawn by hand, but on handmade paper. Former Alliance archivist Janine St. Germain used fiber from just underneath the bark of a Japanese mulberry tree, which horticulturalist Ed Toth was happy to provide – the trees are invasive to Prospect Park. I like the way the craft of the papermaker and the illustrator honor that of woodworker Dennis Madge, who recreated a rustic design from historic photographs, using handmade wood sections joined with pegs and dowels.”
Amy Peck, Prospect Park Alliance
“These are just a sample of the hundreds of early 20th century postcards of Prospect Park that we looked at. Each postcard on display has a handwritten message. One of the statues of James Stranahan says, "He'll catch cold if he don't put his coat on!" Another, which pictures the sheep on the meadow, says "To put with the Teddy Bears." To me these written messages bring to life the people who used the Park in the early 1900s.”
Marcia Ely, Brooklyn Historical Society
“I moved to Brooklyn in the 1980s, and the fireworks at Grand Army Plaza were the best part about New Year’s Eve. This poster also captures something of the era. The exuberance of the dancers, reflected in the thought bubbles: 'Great Band!'. And the one that says 'How Am I Doing?' is a nod to then-Mayor Ed Koch, who liked to ask that of passersby on the street.”
Amy Peck, Prospect Park Alliance
“Howard Cash is one of two photographers whose work documenting the Drummers Circle in the 1990s is in the exhibition. The other is Randy Waterman. During the early decades of the Drummers Circle, before the Park created the official Drummers Grove, photographing this gathering was discouraged. Our search for early images led us to renowned photographer Chester Higgins who, in turn, connected us to Randy and Howard.”
Marcia Ely, Brooklyn Historical Society