Most city parks are places where you can escape from big, ugly structures of metal and stone. The Manhattan High Line is different. Raised 25 feet above the ground, this large metal structure once supported a rail line. The line opened in 1934 to bring trains directly into factories. It was hardly used after the 1960s, and much of it was torn down. However, one part remained in a region of Manhattan called Chelsea. Chelsea was becoming high-class as restaurants, art galleries and apartments were built, but the ugly railway structure remained as _ . Everyone knew that at some time, it would have to be removed. But the High Line was not destroyed. In fact, now the old rail line serves as one of the most peaceful places in the city. It holds an elevated  park, with beautiful gardens and great views of the city. The idea to turn the rail line into a park came from Joshua David and Robert Hammond. In 1999, they attended a meeting to decide how to deal with the High Line. David and Hammond were the only people at the meeting interested in saving the historical structure. Later on, when they asked railway officials to take them up to look at the High Line, they saw a mile and a half of wild flowers growing in the middle of the city, and they realized that the High Line had potential  to become a park. There was growing interest in improving city centers, and so the project quickly developed and money for construction was easily collected. The first section of the High Line opened in 2009 and immediately became popular with tourists and locals alike. Each part of the park has a different atmosphere. Some areas are like balconies  with wonderful city views. Where the rail line goes between buildings, trees are thickly planted. Other sections have wide lawns  and walkways planted with wild flowers. Only the final section remains the way it has been for the last fifty years. Why did David and Hammond originally want to save the High Line?
They thought it had historical value. They thought it would make a good park. They wanted to reopen the train line. They were interested in improving the city.