Home / New York City / Parks / Central Park

Conservatory Water

40.774, -73.9672

The Conservatory Water is a small body of water that sits between Fifth Avenue and Central Park Lake, around 80th Street. Olmstead and Vaux's original 1857 plan for this area included a conservatory (i.e. greenhouse) and ornamental flower beds at this location. The conservatory did not get built until 1898 (at a location further north) but, in the meantime, the name was retained for the ornamental pond that was built in the area configured for a floral parterre. Model boat racing bacame a popular activity here and was immortalized in E.B. White's 1945 children's book Stuart Little. The pond received a renovation in 2000. The battery-powered boats are placed in the pond by park personnel and remote control units are available for rental.

04/15/2005 13:55:24
Conservatory Water
04/15/2005 13:56:57
Conservatory Water
04/15/2005 13:57:41
Conservatory Water
08/14/2007 14:50:28
Conservatory Water
08/14/2007 14:50:45
Conservatory Water
08/14/2007 14:51:32
Conservatory Water
08/14/2007 14:53:37
Conservatory Water
08/14/2007 14:53:57
Conservatory Water
12/04/2007 16:29:59
Conservatory Water

Next: Delacorte Theatre