The High Line Park opened on June 6, 2009. The park is built in the viaduct of the old West Side Freight Railroad.

The High Line had just been abandoned when I first came across it stumbling through the meat-packing district in 1980 (don’t ask!), but it had already seemed to bear the gritty patina of age and seemed shrouded in mystery. Perhaps it was the faded letters spelling out “New York Central” spanning 14th Street, long after the N.Y. Central and Pennsylvania railroads forged their unfortunate merger. Perhaps it wes the weeds already peering over its edge. Perhaps it was the way it pierced buildings as it wound its way South and the way its path abruptly came to an end in mid-air at whatever street that was in the labyrinthine West Village.

For me, it was one of those enchanting urban ruins of an industrial past. Intrigued as I was, I never braved a look-see back in the day. Now the section below 20th Street is publicly accessible and we’re planning on having a legal look-see in August.

The viaduct was one result of the West Side Improvement Project of the 30’s that replaced the freight line that was running at grade. The new line ran in an open cut from the 60th Street yard to the 30th Street yard and then rose up a cyclical path from the below grade yard to the overhead viaduct. From this point, the line path took it through a number of buildings; some had their own sidings off the mainline. The line ended at the St. John’s freight terminal in Tribeca.

As Manhattan began is rapid de-industrialization after the war and the factories emptied, the line carried few trains. Service below the meat-packing district ceased and the right of way abandoned. The terminal was turned over to the trucking industry.

Part of me is a little sad to see the High Line get cleaned up and shed its mantel of mystery, but I'm glad it's still around.