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Over the years, we've gone back and forth on what to call the space between Hooper's Store and 123 Sesame Street. Various sources say different things, but I think I have it figured out.
Google defines an arbor as "a shady garden alcove with sides and a roof formed by trees or climbing plants trained over a wooden framework." That describes what is pictured here as seen in several variations on the show during the 70s, 80s, and 90s. The rest of that open space in front of the garage with the tire swing, etc, is not part of an arbor.
I think the smoking gun we used to rename this article as such came from a 2009 interview with the former VP who said "we call it the arbor," but if you look at an episode produced that same year where Big Bird says "I'll go wait in the arbor," by that point, yes, the arbor had very much extended out to touch the garage as seen here (I would argue that it still only takes up a small portion of the larger yard).
A few more definitive uses of the terms:
- the arbor
- Two separate blueprints of the set pinpoint the exact location of the arbor (both of which identify it as specifically one for cultivating grapes).
- Episode 0917: Luis tells Mr. Hooper's classmate she can find him in the arbor; he's literally sitting under the arbor, not the more open yard space. Margaret delightfully responds, "oh, you have an arbor!"
- the yard
- Episode 0273: When the camera pans past it in a tour of the street, Bob whispers, "there's the yard."
- Episode 1254: When Big Bird plays tour guide on the street, he refers to it as "the famous yard," with several other uses of the phrase.
There are other examples at Talk:The arbor, but I think these are the most definitive. I propose moving the article back to the yard with a section for the arbor (or maybe even a separate article for the arbor since we can now point to more examples of its use separate from the yard). —Scott 
(talk) 11:21, 25 June 2022 (UTC)
- I agree, especially since the set piece has been around since the first season, and for that they've referred to it as the play yard. -- Tony (talk) 12:27, 25 June 2022 (UTC)
- I think you argue your point very well, but I'm not quite sure I agree with a change. All the scripts still call the space "arbor" or "arbor area," even when there is no physical arbor present like the pics you've linked to. I found this 1999 article that says "To the left of 123 is the cobblestoned forecourt to a carriage house, dubbed the Arbor by the show's production staff." So while it is not literally an arbor, the area is honorarily called "the arbor." Also, "The arbor" has more flavor to it than "The yard." - Shane (talk) 13:57, 25 June 2022 (UTC)
- I think you argue your point very well, but I'm not quite sure I agree with a change. All the scripts still call the space "arbor" or "arbor area," even when there is no physical arbor present like the pics you've linked to. I found this 1999 article that says "To the left of 123 is the cobblestoned forecourt to a carriage house, dubbed the Arbor by the show's production staff." So while it is not literally an arbor, the area is honorarily called "the arbor." Also, "The arbor" has more flavor to it than "The yard." - Shane
- Agree that the staff came to erroneously call it the arbor even though it's inaccurate. But it seems an awful lot like how Mr. Johnson was called "Fat Blue" by staff for years even though it was never his name, but a puppet pattern. Staffers can be incorrect. Any view of the yard that doesn't show the literal arbor can't really be called an arbor when it consists of a garage, a tire swing, a fire escape, and a space with public city sewer access. I think we can describe the staff vernacular with a note on the page to cover that angle. But I think accuracy wins over an affectionate name when it comes to an article title, coupled with blueprints and on-screen dialogue. —Scott (talk) 14:05, 25 June 2022 (UTC)
- Agree that the staff came to erroneously call it the arbor even though it's inaccurate. But it seems an awful lot like how Mr. Johnson was called "Fat Blue" by staff for years even though it was never his name, but a puppet pattern. Staffers can be incorrect. Any view of the yard that doesn't show the literal arbor can't really be called an arbor when it consists of a garage, a tire swing, a fire escape, and a space with public city sewer access. I think we can describe the staff vernacular with a note on the page to cover that angle. But I think accuracy wins over an affectionate name when it comes to an article title, coupled with blueprints and on-screen dialogue. —Scott