Central Park celebrates 150 years

Central Park celebrated an important birthday Monday, the 150th anniversary of the date that its design was chosen.

The design by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux created America's first major urban public park.

To kickoff the anniversary celebration, the city on Monday renamed the 72nd Street Cross Drive "The Olmsted & Vaux Way."

Other events also are being held, including an exhibition at the Arsenal on 64th Street and Fifth Avenue entitled: "Celebrating Greensward." The exhibit runs through June 19 and features the original large-scale drawing of the designers' plan. Also on display are 71 vintage and contemporary photographs of the park.

About 25 million people a year visit Central Park.