Now, let me tell you about its location. The Dairy is situated in the southern section of Central Park, just south of the 65th Street transverse road. It's surrounded by some awesome features too. To the west, you have the Central Park Carousel and the Heckscher Playground and Ballfields. And if you look to the northwest, you'll see the beautifully lush Sheep Meadow. Oh, and don't forget to check out the Central Park Mall to the north and the Central Park Zoo to the east. They're both fantastic!
You might be wondering why it's called "The Dairy." Well, originally it was planned to be a place to buy milk and snacks, with cows housed in the basement. But after a rather unfortunate incident involving tainted milk, stricter regulations were put in place. So, no more milk-buying cows, I'm afraid! However, the building still retained some of its original features, like a loggia or covered porch overlooking the nearby Pond.
Now, here's a fun fact for you: back in the 1930s, Park Commissioner Robert Moses decided to turn The Dairy into a storage facility. And by the 1950s, it was in pretty bad shape. One reporter for The New York Times described it as having "untrimmed tree branches jutting into its shingled roof." Yikes!
But fear not! The Dairy eventually got the attention it deserved. In the late 1970s, it was chosen as a demonstration project to show the Parks Department's ability to restore and manage the city's parks. A restoration took place in 1979, thanks to the efforts of architects Weisberg, Castro Associates, and funding from Revlon, Inc.
So, whether you're stopping by to gather information at the visitor center or searching for a unique souvenir at the gift shop, The Dairy is a charming spot in Central Park that holds a piece of history. Let's continue our adventure, shall we?
