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DocsTeachThe online tool for teaching with documents, from the National Archives National Archives Foundation National Archives

Equestrian Statue of George Washington, Union Square, New York City, NY

1856 (photograph 1995)

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This equestrian statue of George Washington, by Henry Kirke Brown (sculptor), John Quincy Adams Ward (assistant), and Richard Upjohn (architect) was unveiled in 1856 in Union Square in New York City, NY. The Washington statue was dedicated on July 4,1856, after Brown had worked on it for four years.  The statue depicts General Washington on Evacuation Day, when the British finally left New York in November 1783.  The bronze statue measures over 13 feet tall and is the oldest sculpture in the New York City Parks system.

In 2020, following the national dialogue on statues and monuments initially brought about by the protests against police brutality and racism in policing, the statue's pedestal was defaced by a protester.

This photograph of the Equestrian Statue of George Washington in New York City, NY are part of materials from the Union Square Form for National Register of Historic Places status.
 
This primary source comes from the Records of the National Park Service.
National Archives Identifier: 75315974
Full Citation: Equestrian Statue of George Washington, Union Square, New York City, NY; 1856 (photograph 1995); National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Program Records: New York; National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Program Records, 2013 - 2017; Records of the National Park Service, Record Group 79; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/equestrian-statue-of-george-washington-union-square-new-york-city-ny, July 16, 2025]
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  • Debating Monuments, Memorials and Statues
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  • Memorials, Statues, and Monuments to George Washington
    Created by the National Archives Education Team

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