3. Bethesda Terrace
At Bethesda Terrace, you can see one of New York City’s most iconic features set against the best foliage in the city. The Bethesda Fountain, topped by the Angel of Waters – a figure that commemorates the Croton water system that first provided water to the city in the 19th century – was the only statue commissioned for the park.
The creation Bethesda Fountain was a group effort. Sculptor Emma Stebbins became the first woman to receive a commission for a major public work in New York City when she was hired to design the twenty-six foot high fountain. The base of the fountain was designed by landscape architect Calvert Vaux, with ornamentation by Jacob Wrey Mould. Today, the result of their efforts can be admired while set against a backdrop of glowing fall foliage.
