In Central Park near the entrance at 72nd Street near the Dakota, John Lennon’s former residence, is an beautiful wooded landscape area called Strawberry Fields. It was named after one of John’s songs, Strawberry Fields Forever, in his honor (John was shot nearby outside of his home in 1980). The song’s title, by the way, hearkens back to John’s youth, where he played in the trees behind a Salvation Army orphanage called Strawberry Field.

In 1985, Yoko Ono donated 2.5 million to relandscape and maintain the area. The focal point is a large mosaic, a reproduction of a work from Pompei, made as a gift by artisans from Naples, Italy. The only change was the center inscription, Imagine, the title of another of John’s songs. It is typical to find the mosaic adorned with flowers, candles, and other items, left by his fans. On the anniversary of his birth (October 9th) and death (December 8th), people typically gather in tribute at the site. There is also a bronze plaque, embedded in a stone outcropping, listing 121 countries endorsing the area as a garden of peace…