Saving Central Park : a history and a memoir / Elizabeth Barlow Rogers.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Rogers, Elizabeth Barlow, 1936- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Rogers, Elizabeth Barlow, 1936-.

Rogers, Elizabeth Barlow.

Central Park Conservancy (New York, N.Y.)--History.

Central Park Conservancy (New York, N.Y.).

Central Park Conservancy (New York, N.Y.)--Biography.

New York (N.Y.). Department of Parks and Recreation--Officials and employees--Biography.

New York (N.Y.).

New York (N.Y.). Department of Parks and Recreation.

Women landscape architects.

Women conservationists.

Landscape architects.

Conservationists.

History.

Central Park (New York, N.Y.)--History.

Central Park (New York, N.Y.).

Conservationists--New York (State)--New York--Biography.

Landscape architects--New York (State)--New York--Biography.

Women conservationists--New York (State)--New York--Biography.

Women landscape architects--New York (State)--New York--Biography.

Employees.

New York (State)--New York.

New York (State)--New York--Central Park.

Central Park (New York, N.Y)--History.

Local Subjects:

New York (State)--New York.

New York (State)--New York--Central Park.

Genre:

Biographies.

History.

Autobiographies.

Physical Description:

xvii, 301 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 25 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2018.

Summary:

"The story of how one woman's long love affair with New York's Central Park led her to a job in which she was able to organize the rescue of the park from its serious decline in the 1970s, returning it to the beautiful place of recreational opportunity and spiritual sustenance it is today. Elizabeth Barlow Rogers opens with a quick survey of her early life--a middle-class upbringing in Texas; college at Wellesley, marriage, a degree in City Planning at Yale. And then her move to New York where she has children and, when she finds being a mother and a housewife is not enough, pours herself into the protection and enhancement of the city's green spaces. Interwoven into her own story is a comprehensive history of Central Park: its design and construction as a scenic masterpiece; the alterations of each succeeding era; the addition of numerous facilities for sports and play; and finally the "anything goes phase" of the 1960s and '70s, which was often fun but almost destroyed the park. The two narratives continue to entwine as she finds a job in the administration of Central Park, founds the Central Park Conservancy, and transforms both the park and herself--a transformation that has led to her many books, to travels that have taken her to parks and gardens around the world, and has solidified the prestige of New York's most conspicuous landmark."--Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Introduction: Implausible ideal

Near death

Early advocates

Looking back

Moving forward

Design masterpiece

Multiple lives

Power player

Learning curve

Changing times

Troubled waters

Gardening days

Going abroad

Darker side

Growing pains

Two Betsys

Money matters

Golden age

Saffron celebration.

Notes:

"A Borzoi book."

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Local Notes:

Athenaeum copy: Altemus Fund bookplate.

Other Format:

Online version: Rogers, Elizabeth Barlow, 1936- Saving Central Park.

ISBN:

9781524733551

1524733555

OCLC:

999672018