The northwest corner of Central Park is probably the section I like the most right now. The north eastern section was originally a swamp and became the Harlem Meer but the western section was a forest and was the least changed section of the park when it was created. Most of the streams in Central Park were moved underground but not here in the North Woods where you find flowing water and waterfalls. Strangely the 'Loch' that you find here is really what you would you think of the stream - the small lake that feeds the Loch is called the Pool and all the water eventually ends up in Harlem Meer.
The North Woods despite its beauty is also known as the location for a notorious crime in 1989 (the Central Park Jogger case). Five teenagers were accused and convicted (the Central Park Five) based on their confessions and the then real-estate developer Donald J Trump took out an advertisement in New York papers calling for the return of the death penalty. In 2002 the five's convictions were quashed when another person confessed and DNA testing confirmed his guilt.
In its history Central Park has gone through amazing growth and shocking decay and despair. Right now it is very much on an upswing though like much of the rest of the city, currently starved of tourist and tax revenues its future is uncertain.
