“A busy day at Heckscher Playground” reads the caption of this 1927 Parks Department photo, taken in Central Park.
It’s an old playground—the area that became Heckscher was set aside for play back in 1858 according to Central Park’s original design.
Check out that jungle gym (is that cement on the ground?) and those tall curlicue slides—they would never be allowed in playgrounds these days.
But these little New Yorkers look like they’re having a blast on gear deemed unsafe by today’s standards.
Ephemeral New York 
