Croton Reservoir in Central Park, Rejected Design

In 1857, the Central Park Commission conducted a design competition. Thirty-three entries were submitted, with only five surviving to the present day. Two rejected designs are currently displayed at the New-York Historical Society. One is a striking proposal by John Rink, an engineer, featuring formal gardens with ornate decorative patterns. His design included a monumental museum structure positioned along the south and east sides of the Croton Reservoir.

A 2003 publication marking Central Park's 150th anniversary described Rink's vision as "a folk-art fantasy of Versailles . . . indifferent to topography, filled with ornate symmetries, and crammed with ornamental features."