Central Park Landmarks
The Loeb Boathouse Pedicab Tour in Central Park
The Loeb Boathouse sits on the eastern shore of the Lake in Central Park, near East 74th Street. It is the launch point for rowboats on the Lake, the only body of water in the park where visitors can go boating.
Quick facts
- Where
- Eastern shore of the Lake, East Side at 74th Street
- Current building
- opened in March 1954, designed by park designer Stuart Constable
- First boathouse
- Calvert Vaux's timber building from 1873
- Donor
- investment banker and philanthropist Carl M. Loeb
- Style
- three-part neoclassical building in brick with a copper roof
- Nearby sculpture
- The Rowers (1968) by Irwin Glusker
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History
Boating on the Lake began in the early 1860s with a concession that paid $1,000 a year, and by 1869 more than 125,000 people had boated on the Lake. Early boating included a passage boat and hired gondolas with guides. A dedicated boathouse was first proposed in 1870, and Calvert Vaux designed a Gothic-style timber boathouse that opened in 1873. Vaux paid its $2,360 cost himself, and it served for more than eighty years.
The current building was designed by Chief Park Designer Stuart Constable and opened in March 1954 under Parks Commissioner Robert Moses. Carl M. Loeb donated $305,000 and the city added $110,000. The sculpture The Rowers, a bronze of two figures in a boat by Irwin Glusker, stands on the terrace in front of the boathouse and honors Carl and Adeline Loeb. The Conservancy rebuilt the boat landings around the Lake to recreate their original nineteenth-century designs, and a four-year restoration of the Lake was completed in 2010.
What to look for
- Rowboats on the Lake
- The Rowers sculpture on the terrace
- Bird sightings, since birdwatchers treat the boathouse as an informal meeting place
- Views across the Lake toward Bethesda Terrace and Bow Bridge
Visiting The Loeb Boathouse
The boathouse is on the same stretch of shoreline as Bethesda Terrace and Fountain and Bow Bridge. Boat rental dates, cafe and restaurant hours and reservations all change, so check ahead. The restrooms at the boathouse are wheelchair accessible.
Frequently asked questions
Who built the Loeb Boathouse?
Stuart Constable designed the current building, which opened in 1954 with funds from Carl M. Loeb. Calvert Vaux built the original boathouse in 1873.
Where is the Loeb Boathouse in Central Park?
On the east end of the Lake, near East 74th Street.
Who is the Loeb Boathouse named for?
The Loeb family, after Carl M. Loeb, whose gift paid for the building.
Can you rent a rowboat there?
Yes. Rowboats on the Lake launch from the boathouse. Hours and rates change, so check before you go.
Sources
Nearby landmarks
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