January 23, 1861, The New York Herald
Skating in the Central Park has become an extensive institution. There is hardly a day passes that there are not some fifty thousand people on the ponds there. On Monday fifty five thousand skaters were counted on the ice, and seventeen hundred vehicles drove through the Park. Sixty thousand skaters were there yesterday. During the sleighing period 2,500 sleighs have been there in one day. We have no doubt that if the Central Park were to be cut off tomorrow, there would be almost as great a sensation as the failure of the Croton caused the other day, so essential have its resources become to the people. Parks were usually considered most valuable as places of summer resort, and lungs for a large city in sultry weather; but we have changed all that, for our Park is really more available in winter than in summer. In the latter season it presents but few advantages, but in winter it is a grand poplar gymnasium and curriculum combined.