Durland’s Riding Academy, 1903.

Long before carriage rides were a maligned Central Park tourist trap, riding was a common Central Park leisure activity. The Durland Riding Academy was established in 1887, with stables at Columbus Circle. In 1900, that structure was condemned, and a new, massive riding facility was built on 67th Street, off of Central Park West.

The central building (at left, with multi-story arched windows) included a 600-spectator riding ring, club rooms and boarding facilities for the horses belonging to the city’s elite families.

In 1949, the former riding club was purchased by ABC and converted into television studios. The buildings have been significantly modified, but the distinctive arched windows of the Durland Club are still visible.