Central Park/New York City

Central Park, located in New York City on the island of Manhattan, was designed in 1858 by Fredrick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux. Totally man-made, fifteen years would pass before it was completed at the cost of $14,000,000 ($200,000,000 today). Constructing the park involved moving nearly five million yards of stone, earth and topsoil, a formidable task today, let alone 150 years ago. Five-hundred thousand trees, vines and shrubs were planted. Today Central Park has 26,000 trees.

Approximately 25 million visitors a year enjoy the park’s 843 acres, which include 136 acres of trees, 250 acres of lawns and 150 acres of water in 7 lakes. Children can romp and play in 21 playgrounds, one of which is named after Diana Ross. Central Park has 58 miles of pedestrian paths, 4.5 miles of bridle paths and 6.5 miles of Park Drives. If all of its 9,000 park benches were lined up end to end they would stretch for 7 miles. 150 drinking fountains will quench your thirst.  Enjoy eating at the famous Tavern on the Green which was, until 1934, a sheepfold.  And, if you enjoy history, visit the northern end of the park and imagine the series of fortifications that were there during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. Bring your tennis racket; you’ll have a choice of 30 tennis courts.  Hit a home run in 26 ball fields.

Would you like to purchase Central Park? Its estimated real-estate value is $528,783,552,000.00. Too much?  Well, Central Park has a “twin.” You’ll find it in Merseyside, UK - Birkenhead Park on the Wirral.  Maybe it has a more reasonable price tag.