An early image of ice skaters in Central Park

“The building of Central Park began in 1858. Later that year, the first section opened to the public: the 'skating pond,' aka the Lake. You’ve probably seen paintings and illustrations of 19th century New Yorkers ice skating in Central Park and on the ponds of Brooklyn. But this Currier & Ives lithograph (after a painting by Charles Parsons) might be the earliest.In ‘Central-Park Winter, the Skating Pond,’ it’s 1862, the middle of the Civil War. Yet the frozen pond is a scene of pure joy: couples in fancy skating outfits (yep, they were a thing) glided together, a rare opportunity for socially acceptable coed mingling. Kids play, adults fall, a dog is getting in on the fun, and everyone is enthralled by the magic of the ice under Bow Bridge. [Image: Metropolitan Museum of Art]”

Ephemeral New York