[Constructed
1870]
Designer: Calvert Vaux 1824-1895
• England
Open: Tuesday through Sunday,
10:00am-5:00pm:
Closes at 4:00pm in winter •
(212) 794-6564
This picturesque building
which is now
one of the Central Park's three visitor
centers was in fact originally a dairy center
located in what Olmsted called the
Children's District.
A scandal in the late 19th century
uncovered the fact that cows were being
fed brewery mash instead of hay thereby
tainting the milk they produced. Fresh
milk was difficult to find during this
period so The Dairy became a refuge
for families by providing their children
with access to fresh milk.
This Victorian Gothic structure with its
window treatments and tall narrow spires
has borrowed an aesthetic religiosity from
its ancient architectural counterparts. Its
orange and yellow colors contribute to the
fantasy of its design. An open loggia, made
of wood sustains benches that overlook the Wollman Rink.
The Dairy displays a permanent exhibit
on the Park's history and design and
provides visitors with brochures and
information.
