Union Square in Manhattan in New York County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Abraham Lincoln Statue
Union Square Park
One of three sculptural renditions of Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) in New York City's parks, this bronze larger-than-life sized statue by Henry Kirke Brown (1814-1886) today stands vigil on a busy crossroad at the north side of Union Square Park.
Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin in Hardin County (now Larue County), Kentucky, and was mostly self-educated. He settled in New Salem, Illinois in 1831 and worked as a storekeeper, surveyor, and postmaster while studying law. In 1834 Lincoln was elected to the state legislature and in 1836 became a lawyer. Although he served as a Whig from 1847 to 1849, he lost two bids for the Senate in 1856 and 1858. Nonetheless Lincoln made an impression on his state and his nation over the course of his seven debates with Democratic opponent Stephen A. Douglas.
Lincoln successfully ran for president as a Republican in 1860. While campaigning he made his first visit to New York City in February 1860, and delivered a famous speech in Cooper Union's Great Hall. By inauguration day in March 1861, seven southern states had seceded from the Union, and four more would follow in April. As the nation plunged into Civil War, Lincoln proved a skillful and thoughtful leader and orator. In 1863 he issued the Emancipation Proclamation to free the slaves and delivered the Gettysburg Address that eloquently memorialized fallen soldiers.
Lincoln won re-election in 1864 against George McClellan. Five days after Confederate general Robert E. Lee's surrender on April 9, 1865, Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth while attending a play at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C. He died the next morning. Travelling to all the principal cities in the United States, Lincoln's funeral cortege arrived in New York City on April 24, and his body lay in state at City Hall. Lincoln is buried at Oak Ridge, Illinois, near Springfield.
Not long after Lincoln's death, the statue of Lincoln was sponsored by the Union League Club, a Republican organization, which retained the services of the noted sculptor Henry Kirke Brown. Though Brown, like many of his generation, made an obligatory visit to Italy to study, he was part of a group of sculptors attempting to establish a truly American sculptural idiom. In his statue of Lincoln—cast in 1868, but dedicated September 16, 1870—he combines a classically-styled pose with a perceptive naturalism, uniting realistic detail with an idealistic stance. Brown also created a similar portrait of Lincoln in Prospect Park (1869), and his nephew and pupil Henry Kirke Bush-Brown (1857-1935) crafted the bronze bust for Gettysburg's Lincoln Memorial (1911).
The sculpture originally stood in the street bed at the
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 9, 2024
Erected by NYC Parks.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Government & Politics • Parks & Recreational Areas • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #16 Abraham Lincoln, and the NYC Parks series lists. A significant historical month for this entry is February 1860.
Location. 40° 44.178′ N, 73° 59.406′ W. Marker is in Manhattan, New York, in New York County. It is in Union Square. Marker is at the intersection of Union Square West and East 16th Street, on the right when traveling north on Union Square West. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 20 Union Square W, New York NY 10003, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Independence Flagstaff (within shouting distance of this marker); Armenian Grove Plaque (within shouting distance of this marker); Lafayette (within shouting distance of this marker); Union Square Savings Bank (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); George Washington (about 400 feet away); Union Square Park (about 400 feet away); The Germania Life Insurance Company Building (about 400 feet away); Mohandas K. Gandhi (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Manhattan.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. This marker replaces the linked marker.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 12, 2024. It was originally submitted on March 12, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 49 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 12, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.