Discover the messages on Central Park benches

Central Park benches carry personal messages

• “Michelle, will you marry me? With all my love, John”… I was so absorbed in my newspaper that I didn’t notice I was leaning against a marriage proposal! Central Park really is an incredible place. So much more than just a park… I came in to catch the spring sun. I planned to walk among the flowering trees and lie on the grass, away from all the hyperactive joggers. Instead, I found myself wandering the paths, scanning every bench for the best stories.
• Central Park benches are like the personal messages section of a newspaper. Small plaques attached to the backrest hold fragments of stories scattered throughout the greenery.
• Since 1986, when the “Adopt a Bench” program began, anyone can help maintain the park and place a plaque on “their” bench with whatever message they choose.
• After spending three hours collecting messages and walking 9 or 10 kilometers on this spring day, I can say with certainty: most benches in Central Park tell love stories.

Love messages on Central Park benches

• “Angie, did I ask you to marry me today?”… Behind the Met in New York, a man keeps it simple and direct: “Marry me, Annie!” Farther on, another proposal takes a more poetic tone: “To my knight in shining armor, the love of my life!”… My imagination runs wild. Michelle, Annie, Angie… Did you say yes?… Or did you find your proposal a bit… over the top?… Then, around a bend, I discover a surprisingly practical declaration: “I love you and I can’t wait to marry you… but if we ever have a fight, you can always sleep here!” Whether romantic or not, I hope she said yes!
• Fragments of stories accompany my walks. Love messages don’t only speak to fiancées. They often reach across time to remember. “My beloved was mine and I was his.” A group of neighbors honors a friend: “In memory of Larry Polshansky (1942–1996).” I stop before the simple and mysterious “H.B.P. 1889–1984”. And I can’t help but sit beside the touching: “In memory of Marian W. Fischman (1939–2001) who, among all the magnificent corners of New York, loved Central Park most of all. Forever loved. Forever missed. Herb Kleber”. I may be imagining things, but I like to believe Marian Fischman and Herb Kleber shared a long and happy life together.
• Sometimes I feel like I’m intruding on people’s private moments. Especially when, overlooking the lake, Lieutenant Nathan Polsky remembers sitting here with Janet, the love of his life, just before he left for war overseas. Nearby sits another bench where Maldwyn Edwards spent hours working on his needlework…
• “Today is the first day of the rest of your life”; “Sit down. Relax. Take a deep breath. And enjoy your day”. Thank you, Linda C. Kobetitsch, for the encouragement. “Peace of mind, generous thoughts, eternal happiness”… Almost enough to make me want to strap on roller skates… But by the time I reach the west side, fatigue sets in. Without hesitation, I settle onto one last bench. “What a joy, this park!” You’re absolutely right, Mark!

How to place your message on a Central Park bench

• The Adopt a Bench program is open to everyone for a fee. See the details on how to adopt a bench in Central Park.