Today may be the second day running that I don't make it [across the street] into Prospect Park, and that means some Archivey Goodness. Here, from the letters column in the Brooklyn Eagle, August 15, proof that things really don't change much, particularly our pet peeves. Oh, that's August 15, 1871. Letter number one: Youth gone wild ruins the park:
And letter number two, with which I would wholeheartedly concur, is a windy riff of outrage that concession snacks are priced too high:
Dear Sir:
We have heard a great deal about our Prospect Park, and the people have paid enough for it. We have also heard a great deal about the Farm House in the park, and the public have been told that refreshments could be obtained there at very reasonable charges. Now, let us see how the thing works. I visited the Park last Friday afternoon with my family, and called at the Farm House for refreshments. We had one small plate of ice cream, a pint bowl of milk, two slices of baker's bread (no butter), for which I was charged 35 cents. Now, if this is reasonable in the opinion of the Commissioner, or whoever it may be that regulates the Farm House, I am of the opinion that they are the only persons in Brooklyn who do think it reasonable, there was perhaps nothing out of the way for the ice cream at fifteen cents, but for a pint of skimmed milk, and two thin slices of bread, twenty cents, it is a fraud, and equal to any fancy price at the fashionable watering places...
Note the whiff of freshly extracted tax dollars in that first sentence; the park was still very young. The Farm House is long gone, but the Audubon Center cafe is still charging an arm and a leg for a sandwich and beverage (and the fare is anything but child-friendly the last time I checked). However, at least they no longer serve milk in a "bowl"--did children drink it up like cats?
NIFTY PARKY LINKAGE:
I haven't checked in on Brooklynometry for awhile; there's an intriguing tribute to the Roman columns at one of the park's entrances, and not one but two ravishing fungus pictures (at left, unidentified but aptly described as "stylishly mandarin"). So nice to see somebody else get all excited by this weird stuff (and take way better pictures than I do).
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