This episode features a conversation with Dr. Marika Plater, an environmental historian and visiting assistant professor at Dickinson College.

We discuss what nineteenth century low-income New Yorkers did for fun outside, including taking trips to public parks in their neighborhoods; riding ferries and streetcars to beer gardens and pleasure grounds; and taking steamboats that traveled to waterfront excursion groves. Dr. Plater explains the "3 P's of Parks," which included partying, peddling, and protesting. These 3 P's often caused tensions between New Yorkers of various classes, genders, and racial identities, as well as clashes between the public, politicians, and police. Despite the conflict, Dr. Plater maintains that parks can and have been spaces of equality and solidarity, too!

To learn more about Marika Plater's work, visit their website: https://marikaplater.wixsite.com/marikaplater or follow them on twitter @marikareads.

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Everyday Environmentalism is a podcast that tells past and present stories about "urban nature" in New York City. We interview current activists in tandem with environmental historians to produce a long history of the ways ordinary New Yorkers have experienced the urban outdoors and created more sustainable relationships with their environment.

This podcast is hosted by Amanda Martin-Hardin, Maddy Aubey, and Prem Thakker.

Visit www.everydayenvironmentalism.org for more information.

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For a full transcript of this podcast, visit this URL: https://otter.ai/u/a3yHBulMV2lmG0tqhyft7x0Ak3k