Home / New York City / Parks / Central Park

Ladies' Pond

This meadow just inside the west side of the park around West 78th street used to be the Ladies' Pond, which, when frozen, was reserved for ladies' ice-skating to provide an alternative to the more leering, rough-and-tumble activities on The Lake, just to the East. It was filled in in 1888 during a malaria threat as part of a park-wide project to dredge the lakes and improve drainage. (Rosenzweig pp 294) The area still drains into the Lake through a small stream, although the south end has a tendency to briefly return to its aquatic state during heavy rains.

Next: Lasker Rink / Pool