One of my favorite places is Bryant Park in New York City, named for the American poet, journalist, and New York Evening Post editor – William Cullen Bryant (1794-1878).

Bryant Park is a modern day oasis in the heart of Manhattan situated on a plot of land with a long history in one of the most storied cities in the world. First designated as a public space in 1686 by New York’s colonial Governor, Thomas Dongan, it later served as a crossing for General George Washington and his troops in 1776 as they retreated from the Battle of Long Island. Fifty years later the land served as a potter’s field.

The first park at the site opened in 1847 as Reservoir Park. During the Civil War in the 1860s, the park was used for military drills. In 1884, it was renamed Bryant Park in honor of William Cullen Bryant who had died six years earlier. The park’s nadir was during the 1970s, when it served as home to drug dealers, prostitutes and the homeless. In 1988, it underwent a major renovation and re-opened in 1992 with much acclaim.

Today, Bryant Park is a hub of creativity — home to New York’s celebrated “Fashion Week” and HBO’s “Summer Film Festival.” The park’s vast expanse of green lawn is framed by scores of large, majestic plane trees (i.e., sycamore), descendants of the plane trees found along some of Europe’s most picturesque city streets. Bryant Park is a wonderful place to read a book, sip a cup of coffee, or simply watch humanity pass you by.

It would be difficult to find a more fitting namesake for the park. William Cullen Bryant was a driving force behind the idea of New York’s Central Park, and helped in the creation of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. His poetry has been described as “thoughtful and meditative.”

Bryant Park is a showcase for how passion, perseverance, and creativity can transform an ordinary or forgotten space into a special and inspirational place. Let New Lantern help you transform your business into a more creative and productive place – worthy of your company’s name.