Harlem Meer, Lake in northeast Central Park, Manhattan, United States
Harlem Meer is a lake in the northeast section of Central Park covering about 11 acres, bordered by oak, cypress, and beech trees with walking paths winding through the area. The water sits in a depression and connects through smaller waterways to other parts of the park.
The lake was created in 1866 through extensive excavation of a tidal marsh, redirecting natural streams that once flowed toward the Harlem River. This transformation was part of the broader redesign of Central Park to establish a water system across the grounds.
The Charles A. Dana Discovery Center hosts summer concerts and dance performances by international artists at the water's edge. Visitors gather on the open grounds to watch these shows while enjoying views across the lake.
Visitors can try catch-and-release fishing with borrowed poles or use the two children's playgrounds nearby. The water is accessible on warm days, and the adjacent Discovery Center offers additional activities and information.
The water here is part of a larger system where the Pool upstream flows into the Loch before reaching this point. This connection reveals how the park's waterways function as a branching network.
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