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For more than 120 years, parks have been New Yorkers' place of respite and relaxation, especially now as we're stuck inside more than ever.
The city's parks hold a special place in our hearts—it's where the sun is at its brightest, the leaves give us shade and the open space allows us to stretch out and shake off our stress.
To pay homage to these spots, we've scoured the digital archives of the New York Public Library and the Library of Congress to look back at how these green spaces looked 100 years or so ago, when many of them were newly built.
You can also check out a vintage colorized video of Coney Island, another favorite NYC hangout, here.
RECOMMENDED: Find out what your NYC building looked like in the 1940s
Scroll down to see some of the city's biggest parks in intriguing black-and-white photos.
Central Park
Bryant Park
Battery Park
Washington Square Park
Union Square Park
Riverside Park
Prospect Park
Van Cortlandt Park
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