Manhattan’s largest park is also home to one of the largest fountains in New York. Bethesda Fountain, named for a Bible passage that describes a pool with healing waters thanks to an angel’s blessing, was created to commemorate the opening of the Croton Aqueduct in 1842. The aqueduct brought clean, fresh water to the city for the first time, providing its own ‘healing waters’ to New Yorkers who had previously suffered through fires and disease due to an inadequate and contaminated water supply. For this reason, the statue at the top of the fountain is known as the Angel of the Waters. The eight-foot-tall neoclassical bronze angel was designed by American sculptor Emma Stebbins, the first woman to receive a commission for a major work of art in New York City. Modeled after Stebbins’ partner, actress Charlotte Cushman, the angel and her fountain have become an iconic symbol of the city.