The Research and Rediscovery of Seneca Village
Thursday, February 11th, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
 |
| Map of Seneca Village from Egbert Viele's Map of the lands included in the Central Park, 1856. Courtesy of NYC Municipal Archives |
Join us for a virtual lecture and tour with Marie Warsh, Smith College Class of 1997, that covers the research and rediscovery of Seneca Village, the predominately Black community that existed in upper Manhattan from 1825 -1857, on land that became Central Park.
The largely forgotten settlement included over 225 residents at its peak, as well as three churches, one school, and the largest percentage of Black property owners in New York City at the time. Of the 100 black New Yorkers eligible to vote in 1845 – a right linked to property ownership – 10 lived in Seneca Village.
Using archival maps and documents and recent photographs of the site, the presentation will share the history of the village and how research and archaeological excavations had led to its rediscovery and understanding as a highly significant place in the history of Black New York.
For additional information about Seneca Village and the Central Park Conservancy visit their website.
About Marie Warsh
Marie Warsh is a landscape historian and writer who has worked for the Central Park Conservancy since 2005. She is the author of numerous articles about parks and playgrounds as well as the book Central Park’s Adventure-Style Playground: Renewal of a Midcentury Legacy (2019). For the past several years she has been focused on researching Seneca Village.
Topic: The Research and Rediscovery of Seneca Village
Date: Thursday, February 11, 2021
Time: 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM (EST)
Click to Register (Non-Members)
Limit: 100 participants
Cost: Members – free; Non-members - $5
You must be registered before 4:30 PM on Thursday, February 11th to join the event.
The Zoom link and password details will be shared by 5:00 PM on the day prior to the event and again, a few hours before the event start.