The Finish Line: Tavern On The Green

Brian H.

The New York City Marathon is in full tow as teams are finally to the point of doing their last 10 miles of the race and ending up at no other place than the finish line in Central Park.

And where is this special spot?

Located on Central Park West between 66th and 67th Streets, Tavern on the Green has a rich and meaningful story as the venue that hosts the finish of our beloved marathon.

The History

The Sheep Meadow

The Sheep Meadow in Central Park got its name from the a flock of sheep that occupied its lawn during the first part of this century. A sheepfold, to house the flock, was constructed across the drive, at the western edge of the meadow. In 1934, Parks Commissioner Robert Moses shipped these sheep off to Prospect Park as a scheme for beautifying the city into a better place.

This sheepfold was then converted into the restaurant we now know, on the west side of Central Park. The first incarnation of Tavern on the Green -- the restaurant -- was launched on October 20, 1934, with a coachman in full regalia at the door. In the late 1930s the building was taken over by the Civilian Patrol Corps as its headquarters until 1943, when the management of the nearby Claremont Inn on Riverside Drive took it over and renovated it to become a year-round restaurant. Tavern on the Green was showing some signs of wear by the 1950s, and the designer Raymond Loewy was hired for renovations to the building. The result was the addition of the Elm Room (now the Park Room), named after the tree it wrapped around. In the seventies the restaurant was renovated again. Hand-hewn rafters re-emerged and the vast vaulted ceiling above them was reopened after being hidden for decades by ordinary plaster. The Elm, Rafters, and Chestnut Rooms were paneled in very rare wormy chestnut.

In the Crystal and Terrace Rooms, the rustic baroque styling was changed to rococo. Tavern on the Green became the most glamorous venue to eat in New York City. Celebrities would flock to the famed Crystal Room, known for fantastic glass walls and sparkling chandeliers. Dining there wasn't just a meal but an event.

Always a work in progress, Tavern on the Green underwent yet another renovation in 1988 to expand the Tavern Store, relocate the bar, and create the Park Room and Garden. Later, the Crystal Garden that overlooks the Sheep Meadow was remodeled to accommodate dancing during the summer months.

In 1993, a "Menagerie of Topiaries", created by the Hollywood artists who also contributed to the fantastic greenery for the hit film Edward Scissorhands, were located in the Tavern's gardens.

The original Tavern on the Green closed its doors on New Year's Eve after 75 years. About three years ago, it was still one of the world's top-grossing restaurants.

Today
Plans to reopen the restaurant failed when a restaurateur and labor unions couldn't agree on a contract. A visitors center and gift shop are now open at the former restaurant. Today, the Crystal Room is gone, replaced instead by four trucks that pull up each morning and serve, tacos, dumplings, ice cream and sandwiches to Central Park visitors willing to sit outside at nearby tables and benches. - Brian H.