The Amazing Secret of Central Park’s Lampposts

The 1,600 lampposts throughout Central Park do more than light your way. They hold a hidden code that can guide you if you ever get lost in the park.

1,600 streetlights scattered throughout Central Park

Central Park is Manhattan’s largest park at 341 hectares (843 acres), stretching 4 km (2.5 mi) long and 800 m (2,625 ft) wide. It’s a vast, rolling expanse of green where you could easily lose your way. But don’t worry!
If you’re turned around and don’t have a map, here’s an ingenious solution: find a streetlight. Each of the park’s 1,600 streetlights bears a unique code stamped at the base of the pole.
This seemingly cryptic number actually works like a GPS. The first two or three digits indicate the nearest street number—for example, 83 for 83rd Street or 104 for 104th Street. This tells you where you are vertically in Manhattan and, more importantly, whether you’re heading toward the North exit at 110th Street or the South exit at 59th Street.
The remaining digits tell you whether you’re closer to the Upper East Side or the Upper West Side. Even numbers indicate the East side of Manhattan, while odd numbers mark the West side. Take the code 6136 shown above: you’re near 61st Street on the Upper East Side.

The streetlights of Central Park and their coding system were designed in 1907 by Harry Bacon, an American architect. The name may not ring a bell, but he also designed the magnificent Lincoln Memorial in Washington. Now you can explore Central Park with confidence, never feeling lost again!