Panoramic scene of Bowling Green from a street in front showing the buildings on either side of the circular green; horse-drawn carriages including the 'Broadway South Ferry' and pedestrians around its perimeter; the green itself bordered by an iron fence; willow trees and a fountain within.
Painted by David Johnson, (1827-1908)
The iron fence around Bowling Green was put up in 1771 to protect the park and its new statue of King George III. While the statue was torn down when the Declaration of Independence reached New York, the fence itself is still there, a few changes notwithstanding. Originally, the posts are said to have been decorated with royal crowns or iron balls that didn’t survive the Revolution, and in the 1868 painting above, you can see one elegant lamp remaining, which no longer exists. In 1914 the fence was actually removed and left in Central Park while a subway line was constructed, but in 1919 it was thankfully brought back to Bowling Green. Having achieved landmark status in 1970, the fence will, like the park it surrounds, remain a relative constant in an ever-changing downtown.
