Rumsey Playfield Pedicab Tour in Central Park

History

The first building on this hill was a restaurant called the Casino, designed by Calvert Vaux. The name means "little house" in Italian, and the building did not host gambling. In the 1920s an Art Deco building replaced it and became a nightclub. In 1937 Parks Commissioner Robert Moses, who considered the club too elitist, had it demolished and built a playground named for Mary Harriman Rumsey, which was unusual at the time, since few park places were named for women.

Rumsey co-founded the Junior League in 1901 and founded the Community Councils of the City of New York, which opened about 500 playgrounds across the city. President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed her chair of the Consumer Advisory Board of the National Recovery Administration. In the mid-1980s the Conservancy turned the site into a sports field for older children.

SummerStage began in 1986, with its first show by the Sun Ra Arkestra at the Naumburg Bandshell. It moved to Rumsey Playfield in 1990. The City Parks Foundation runs it and presents free performances alongside benefit concerts.

What to look for

• The Mother Goose statue marking the entrance
• The plaque at the entrance honoring Mary Harriman Rumsey
• The stage and open field used for SummerStage concerts

Visiting Rumsey Playfield

Concert listings and which shows are free change from season to season, so check the SummerStage site. The Conservancy lists no restrooms here. It is next to the Mall, a short distance from Bethesda Terrace and Fountain.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Central Park Conservancy, Rumsey Playfield
• Central Park Conservancy, Historic Women Memorialized in Central Park
• City Parks Foundation, SummerStage

Nearby landmarks

• Bethesda Terrace and Fountain →
• The Loeb Boathouse →
• Alice in Wonderland Statue →

Book Your Tour

Hoping to explore the lively center of the park? Request a pedicab tour with your preferred time.