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Inside The Beautifully Restored Endale Arch In Prospect Park
By
Jen Carlson
Published Nov 17, 2020
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Paul Martinka / Prospect Park Alliance
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Nov 17, 2020
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In the 1860s, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux laid out their vision for Prospect Park, a 585-acre oasis for the people of New York. At the time, and throughout those earlier years during the City Beautiful architectural movement, a number of design elements were introduced into the sprawling landscape. Among them was the Endale Arch.
Olmsted and Vaux saw this arch, one of the first architectural elements constructed in the park, "as a transporting entrance to the majestic Long Meadow from Grand Army Plaza," according to the Prospect Park Alliance. The arch — along with its companion, the Meadowport Arch — was part of Zone 1 on their blueprint, the wide-open section of the park (the other two zones were a wooded section, and a waterside section). Prospect Park Alliance President Sue Donoghue noted that the two park architects "envisioned it as leaving the dirt and difficulties of the city behind and entering this gorgeous space.”
Circa the 1890s
Prospect Park Alliance Archives
The arch has deteriorated over the 150 or so years, but thanks to a newly completed $500,000 project, funded by the Tiger Baron Foundation and through District 39 participatory budgeting, it has now been restored. During the process, original details have been resurfaced from under "layers of time" and grime.
Here's what the arch was looking like before the restoration
Prospect Park Alliance
According to the Alliance, the restoration began with years of research and ended with some elbow grease that brought it back to its original grandeur, and then some. Through this work, the interior of the arch and the exterior stonework were brought back to life, and "original details that the design team was surprised and delighted to find" were revealed. This included "a motif of alternating yellow Berea sandstone and New Jersey brownstone, and white pine and black walnut wood paneling, which was hidden for nearly a century."
This wood paneling was largely gone, but some remained under paint. You can see the before and after work here — this is what two of the niches looked like, and how they look now:
L: one of the two niches that were covered in paint with the original woodwork beneath. R: one of the two niches that were covered in paint with the original woodwork restored.
Prospect Park Alliance
For the other niches, they note that the team "opted to leave one brick and granite cross vault exposed to highlight the detailed craftsmanship put in place over 150 years ago." The wood paneling was completely gone on these niches, but Deborah Kirschner of the Alliance told Gothamist that they were "so impressed with the underlying brick and granite structure, they chose to keep this exposed." Here's what that looks like:
The original stonework restored
Paul Martinka / Prospect Park Alliance
The work also included addressing drainage issues, stabilizing the stone retaining walls, removing invasive plants, adding native plantings, and bringing in LED lighting to illuminate the beauty, which has already made for a popular photo op in the park (and at least one marriage proposal has already taken place there). Soon, benches will be added within the arch as well.
The Endale Arch
Paul Martinka / Prospect Park Alliance
You can visit the arch near the Grand Army Plaza entrance.
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prospect park
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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