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Vauxhall, New York |
New York was the hub for early American pleasure gardens.
Vauxhall
is one of the most recognized pleasure gardens in America. It was located by
Broadway and Bowery, which today are famous places. Though there is a Vauxhall
in England, the one in New York was able to stand alone. It was a place that
offered co-ed social gatherings with a country club atmosphere. The gardens
were huge and kept perfectly manicured. Alcohol and ice cream were served at
the gardens. Ice cream was a fairly new treat and it delighted costumers to be
able to have a cold refreshment. A visitor
to Vauxhall once remarked “At the side of this…Battery is a Voxhall: it is
illuminated at night in the summer and has music and cold refresments. There is
another one a mile from town with a much bigger garden. They are both kept by
French people who through the sale of ice cream alone have gained a large
fortune. Both these places are very much frequented. The inhabitants here are
much more lively, much gayer, and enjoy their recreation much more than in
Philadelphia.”
Other gardens soon started to pop up all over New York. Niblo’s
Garden, Contoit’s Garden and Palace Garden were all very popular in the late 19th-early
20th centuries. They all mimicked each other in design and entertainment.
After American’s from
other states saw how grand the pleasure gardens in New York were they wanted to have them in other states too. The gardens moved down the east coast and spread
across America. Men and woman, adults and children, low and upper classes were
able to mingle within the gardens. They all were able to enjoy the various
forms of entertainment. Alcoholic drinks, ice cream and bandstands wowed
Americans and distracted them from their everyday routines. It gave them the
perfect escape from reality. The Pleasure Gardens became a big deal in the
southern states. The country club atmosphere was fully embraced in the south.
Woman particularly enjoyed the Pleasure Gardens, being able to sip tea and
gossip with their girlfriends was a great form of entertainment. The experience spawned gardening clubs for the
woman across the south.
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