Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The Eye of God at Newchurch in Pendle
St. Govor’s Well.
St. Govor’s Well
Shivsrushti
Pierced domes of Hammam Seffarine.
Hammam Seffarine
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è pasta... E pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Tripe is fried to a crisp.
L’Osteria della Trippa
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Grasshopper Chapel and grounds.
How the Rocky Mountain Locust Plague Spawned Federal Disaster Relief
2 days ago
The Guy Bradley Visitor Center at Flamingo in Everglades National Park.
America’s First Game Warden Died Fighting for the Birds
2 days ago
Echo Park Time Travel Mart.
Atlas Obscura Presents: Traveling Back in Time for Coconut Cake With The Sporkful
3 days ago
One of the PATH’s many entrances.
A Supposedly Boring Mall I Might Actually Visit Again
4 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States New York State New York City Manhattan Oldest Manhole Cover
Oldest Manhole Cover is permanently closed.

This entry remains in the Atlas as a record of its history, but it is no longer accessible to visitors.

Oldest Manhole Cover

Walk over a 150 year old manhole.

New York, New York

Added By
Oliver Hong
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
  wherearewedude / Atlas Obscura User
  wherearewedude / Atlas Obscura User
  wherearewedude / Atlas Obscura User
1867 manhole cover. 85th and Central Park West   kgtband / Atlas Obscura User
Croton Aqueduct 1862 Manhole Cover on W 40th Street and 8th Ave   mattiglody / Atlas Obscura User
1866 Manhole cover 85th and Central Park West   kgtband / Atlas Obscura User
The manhole covers looking back at 85th and Central Park West   kgtband / Atlas Obscura User
New cover here now....   NYPL geocacher / Atlas Obscura User
01/27/2017   eharjes / Atlas Obscura User
  Forgotten NY
  Michael Busch / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The manhole cover on Jersey street was New York's oldest manhole cover and used to allow access to the Croton Aqueduct, built in the early 1840s.

Although the aqueduct was drained to create the Great Lawn in Central Park, this tiny manhole in SoHo was a tribute to the infrastructure that supported a growing metropolis from the days of horse and buggy travel.

Update March 2018: Sadly, the city of New York has replaced this manhole cover. There are others you can see around Central Park.

Related Tags

Subterranean Sites

Know Before You Go

Head to Central Park to see other manhole covers. If you enter Central Park on at 85th Street on the west side and take the smaller path to the left, they're about 70 steps in.

Community Contributors

Added By

Oliver Hong

Edited By

AF, eharjes, kgtband, NYPL geocacher...

  • AF
  • eharjes
  • kgtband
  • NYPL geocacher
  • mattoonc
  • Michael Busch
  • mattiglody
  • wherearewedude

Published

February 14, 2013

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.centralparktoursnyc.com/croton-aqueduct/
  • http://www.nych2o.org/old-croton-ride-notes-manhole-covers.html
Oldest Manhole Cover
85th Street and Central Park
New York, New York, 10012
United States
40.784612, -73.969822
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Wild Bird Fund

New York, New York

miles away

Leopard Society Garb

New York, New York

miles away

Indian Rhinoceros Diorama

New York, New York

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of New York

New York

New York

Places 405
Stories 89

Nearby Places

Wild Bird Fund

New York, New York

miles away

Leopard Society Garb

New York, New York

miles away

Indian Rhinoceros Diorama

New York, New York

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of New York

New York

New York

Places 405
Stories 89

Related Places

  • Alexandria, Egypt

    Sister Library of Alexandria

    Underneath the Serapeum ruins lies a dark passage with nooks for books, the lesser-known “sister” to the famous ancient library.

  • The sector operations room.

    Valletta, Malta

    Lascaris War Rooms

    Both the World War II Allied Forces and NATO have used this modern bunker underneath Malta’s capital.

  • Inside the cave

    Taşkuyu, Turkey

    Taşkuyu Mağarası (Taskuyu Cave)

    This 470-meter-long dripstone cave was discovered by chance in 2006.

  • Inside the underground mosque of Shakpak-Ata.

    Ashchimuryn, Kazakhstan

    Shakpak-Ata

    A remote, centuries-old underground mosque with a lunar aesthetic.

  • Minnetonka Cave.

    Saint Charles, Idaho

    Minnetonka Cave

    Idaho’s largest, deepest limestone cave is known for its quirky rock formations and bat population.

  • Tham Nang Ene Cave lit up with colorful neon lights.

    Xiangliab, Laos

    Tham Nang Ene Cave

    Mythological depictions of Laos’ national animal make this cave sacred.

  • Stalactites in King Solomon’s Cave

    Liena, Australia

    King Solomon's Cave

    A limestone cave filled with impressive formations in Mole Creek Karst National Park.

  • Impressive hallways

    Tuzluca, Turkey

    Tuzluca Salt Mines

    A former salt mine is now a cool picnic spot for families and asthmatics.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.