Movers & Shakers: The Men Who Made Riverside Park
Cyrus Clark. Egbert Ludovicus Viele. William R. Martin. Andrew Haswell Green. And, of course, Frederick Law Olmsted. These 19th century “social influencers” were the powers behind Riverside Park and Riverside Drive — or at least, the initial versions of them. Cyrus Clark was the “Father of the Upper West Side.” Andrew Haswell Green one-upped him as the “Father of Greater New York.” Viele was largely responsible for making the area a healthy place to live–although he feared being buried alive. Martin was the uber-marketer, publishing a pamphlet that promoted the idea of Park and Drive. Olmsted grandly implemented that romantic vision. Recently, I was invited by The General Society of Mechanics & Tradesmen of New York to present this research and other findings from my book, Heaven on the Hudson, to a live audience and via Zoom, at the group’s lovely location in midtown Manhattan, and to sign copies of the book afterward. Thank you so much to the Society for this wonderful opportunity.