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Flatiron District in Manhattan in New York County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Welcome to Madison Square Park! / Caring for Your Park

 
 
Welcome to Madison Square Park! side of the marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 15, 2024
1. Welcome to Madison Square Park! side of the marker
Inscription.
Welcome to Madison Square Park!
Discover all that a city park can be
Madison Square Park, a 6.2-acre public green space in the heart of New York City, has been public land since 1686 and was designated a park in 1847. It has played a vital role in the city's history: from the birth of baseball (1845) to the fundraising campaign for the Statue of Liberty (1876-1882) to America's first public Christmas tree lighting (1912). This small but mighty park has been a special gathering place for everything from parades for veterans and suffragettes to catching up with friends.

Madison Square Park welcomes diverse communities and ideas. Surrounded by landmark architecture in a vibrant live-work neighborhood, it is an urban oasis, home to acclaimed public art, and horticulture and certified as a Level II arboretum and American public garden. It's also where New Yorkers and visitors come to have fun, whether at the playground, dog run, or the original Shake Shack. It is a space that belongs to everyone, that each of us can make on our own.

Land Acknowledgement
Madison Square Park is located on Lenapehoking, the ancestral homeland of the Lenape (Delaware) people. We recognize that this land was forcibly taken, resulting in the displacement and genocide of the
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Lenape (Delaware) Nations.

Madison Square Park Conservancy respectfully acknowledges the Lenape (Delaware) people—past, present, and future—who continue to live, work, and connect to this space. We honor them as the original stewards of this land through our commitment to a series of sustainability and restoration initiatives. In the coming years, we aim to reduce our carbon imprint, promote sustainable land management, and reintroduce to the park species of fauna and flora indigenous to Lenapehoking.

Caring for Your Park
Madison Square Park Conservancy (MSPC) is the nonprofit organization responsible for raising 100% of the funds needed to operate and program Madison Square Park on the behalf of the City of New York. Donations from supporters like you enable us to continue our high standard of care to keep the park clean, green and thriving.

MSPC believes that urban parks should be transformative, and everyone deserves access to public spaces that encourage recreation, respite, and reflection. As stewards, we strive to engage visitors through visionary contemporary art, beautiful gardens, inviting amenities, and through-provoking programming.

Horticulture
With over 300 trees and a rich diversity of species, Madison Square Park is proud to be the only Level II arboretum in Manhattan.
Caring for Your Park side of the marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 15, 2024
2. Caring for Your Park side of the marker
Many of our trees are hundreds of years old. Our gardens feature five perennial collections in bloom throughout the year, including daffodils and redbuds in the spring, hydrangeas in the summer, camellias in the fall, and witch hazels in the winter. Our horticulture team curates two seasonal garden exhibits annually, often in conjunction with our art exhibitions. Take a seat or find a patch of lawn and relax — there's something in bloom every season.

Art
Since 2004, Madison Square Park Conservancy has commissioned outdoor works from leading contemporary artists including Diana Al-Hadid, Teresita Fernández, Maya Lin, and Martin Puryear. The art program invites leading artists to push the boundaries of their practice and create risk-taking new works that experiment with materiality, scale and theme in response to the park's unique environment. As you walk through the park, we hope you will engage with these dynamic projects that inspire and challenge.

Sustainability
As New York City has grown over the past 200 years, Madison Square Park has remained a vital green space for generations. But like the rest of the world, the park is suffering from the negative impacts of climate change, something we observe in our horticulture and wildlife cycles. In response, MSPC has made a commitment to actively nurture the park's delicate ecosystems,
Welcome to Madison Square Park! / Caring for Your Park Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 15, 2024
3. Welcome to Madison Square Park! / Caring for Your Park Marker
reduce carbon, emissions in operations, and provide community leadership to reduce waste and consumption. We are committed to demonstrating and sharing sustainable practices within the park and beyond our borders. Join us in doing your part for the future of our park and our planet.
 
Erected by Madison Square Park Conservancy.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, MusicEnvironmentNative AmericansParks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1686.
 
Location. 40° 44.499′ N, 73° 59.267′ W. Marker is in Manhattan, New York, in New York County. It is in the Flatiron District. Marker is at the intersection of Madison Square Park and East 24th Street, on the left when traveling south on Madison Square Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 22 Madison Ave, New York NY 10010, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Madison Avenue Centennial (within shouting distance of this marker); Metropolitan Life Tower (within shouting distance of this marker); Metropolitan Life Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Star of Hope (within shouting distance of this marker); Welcome to Madison Square Park! / Care for Your Park
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(about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); William H. Seward (about 300 feet away); To Our Heroes (about 300 feet away); Eternal Light Flagstaff (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Manhattan.
 
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. These three identical markers have been placed throughout Madison Square Park.
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on February 19, 2024. It was originally submitted on February 19, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 36 times since then. Photos:   1, 2, 3. submitted on February 19, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.

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Apr. 28, 2024