The Project

After Seneca Village was razed, its memory disappeared for more than a century. It returned to public attention in a book on the history of Central Park, The Park and the People (Rosenzweig and Blackmar 1992). Subsequently, the New-York Historical Society began developing education programming, including site tours and lectures. In 1997-98 the Society mounted a critically acclaimed exhibition, "Before Central Park: the Life and Death of Seneca Village," curated by Grady T. Turner and Cynthia R. Copeland.

There are indications that remains of the Village still exist in Central Park. In the late 19th century, Park workers uncovered burials in a Village church area. During a site tour, Cynthia Copeland found more than 100 early 19th-century artifacts that could have come from Seneca Village. And recent archaeological investigations suggest the presence of grave shafts, basement wall and floors, and cesspits.

The Seneca Village Project includes several integrated components, archaeological and archival research and education.

Learn about the excavations

View photos and panoramas from the site