The Arch

This magnificent arch was once just plaster and wood, erected in 1889 to celebrate the centennial of President George Washington's inauguration. The people who came up with this idea obviously did something right, as it became very popular and only three years later was replaced with a permanent marble arch designed by New York architect Stanford White.

Standing at 77 feet tall, this beautiful arch is focused around Washington's ideas of war and peace. It's hollow and contains a stairway up to the roof. Rumor has it that at one point a civil war veteran was living inside the arch! No one knew until one day someone spotted his laundry hanging up to dry!

The park is now a very popular spot now. Many people from all over nyc come to hang out in this park, along with many nyu students because it's practically on their campus.

One other cool thing about the park is a certain row of houses just outside of the park. They are actually known as "the row," and New York's elite moved here in 1820. Now, most of it is owned by New York University, but Artist Edward Hopper lived here for quite some time with his wife in #3 Washington Square North until he died in 1967. He lived there for about 54 years. Also, in the famous 2007 film, I Am Legend, Will Smith's character had the address , 11 Washington Square North. How cool!

Checkmate

Can  you believe that one of the many things Washington Square Park is known for is chess? Believe is or not, tons of chess playing legends have sat in these same seats before and after they became legends.

Being one of the two most known parks in our beloved city,  Washington Square Park is a little under just ten acres of beautiful green things. Living in the city, it's always nice to go into the park and remember what grass looks like, right? 

The park in named after President George Washington, who was actually inaugurated nearby at Wall St. in 1789, back when NYC was the capital of the United States. It wasn't always a park though, in fact, back when it was actually a cemetery it was home to over 20,000 New Yorkers who are still buried there to this day. Talk about creepy, right?!

If you're not totally creeped out, maybe this will do the trick. The park was also an execution site and houses the world's oldest tree ever. Standing for 340 years now, the elm tree AKA The Hanging Tree has been the last sight for many people. People would come from all over to see people hanged from this 110 ft tall Elm tree. The last hanging was done in 1820 and the limb from which the hangings took place was removed in 1992. 

Whose wondering now if this park is possible haunted?