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Favorite Photos of the Park | 15 Years of Washington Square Park Blog

March 9, 2023February 28, 2023

The original tagline of Washington Square Park Blog, which published its first post slightly over fifteen years ago today (2.26.08) covering the redesign of Washington Square Park by the Bloomberg Administration, was: “the chronicles of … Read more…

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Arch Conspirators Declared “Free and Independent Republic of Washington Square” Atop Arch 106 Years Ago Today

January 23, 2023January 23, 2023

Greenwich Village History: “Free From Mainstream Convention” – Has This Spirited Notion Come and Gone? Up until recently, I felt in many ways Washington Square Park remained informed by the free spirited “Arch Conspirators”‘ takeover … Read more…

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Washington Square Park 98th Christmas Tree Lighting Will Take Place Wed. December 7th

November 27, 2022

Washington Square Park’s Christmas tree lighting will take place on Wednesday, December 7th for the 98th year. The Washington Square tree lighting ceremony is older than Rockefeller Center’s tradition. The tree will be lit at … Read more…

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The Skeletons of Washington Square Park 2022

November 3, 2022November 2, 2022

All Souls Day: 20,000 Bodies Buried Underneath the Park   Updated – This time of year seems to rile up and unearth the dead bodies beneath Washington Square Park. It is believed up to 20,000 … Read more…

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Washington Square Park 10 Years Since Hurricane Sandy

November 2, 2022November 1, 2022

On Sunday, October 28, 2012, New York City was shutting down the entire subway system at 7 p.m., 469 stations, normally in operation 24 hours a day. Parks would be off limits after 5 p.m., … Read more…

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Last June 5th When the NYPD Extremely ‘Enforced’ Washington Square Park’s 10 p.m. Weekend Curfew

June 5, 2022

It was last year, Friday, June 5th, 2021, when the NYPD came into Washington Square Park in riot gear using excessive force and extreme policing to “enforce” the 10 p.m. weekend “curfew” the De Blasio … Read more…

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The Long Con: Washington Square Private Conservancy Attempting to Program Park & More – Part I

April 30, 2022April 29, 2022

In June of 2013, the four founding members of what would then become Washington Square Park Conservancy came before Community Board 2’s Parks Committee for a “public hearing” in order to get “approval” for their … Read more…

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A Look Back at the Washington Square Arch Lit in Color Over the Years on George Washington’s Birthday

February 28, 2022February 22, 2022

The first President of the United States, George Washington, was born on February 22nd, 1732. The Arch at Washington Square Park is a memorial to Washington who served as President from 1789 to 1797. The … Read more…

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105 Years Ago: Arch Conspirators Declared “Free and Independent Republic of Washington Square” From Atop Arch

January 26, 2022

In many ways, more recent Washington Square Park remains informed by the famous bohemian, free spirited “Arch Conspirators”‘ takeover of the Arch in 1917. Some may not be aware of what transpired then. Yet there … Read more…

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Washington Square Park 97th Tree Lighting Ceremony Takes Place December 8th

November 26, 2021

Resumes in Person Despite ongoing Covid concerns, Washington Square Park’s Christmas tree lighting will take place, after one year’s absence in person, on Wednesday, December 8th at 6 p.m. Santa will be on hand and … Read more…

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The Skeletons of Washington Square

October 12, 2021

It’s That Time of Year Again 20,000 Bodies are Buried Underneath this Park This time of year seems to rile up and unearth the dead bodies beneath Washington Square Park. It is believed up to … Read more…

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Washington Square Park Arch View of Twin Towers Before 9/11

September 11, 2021

20 Years Ago Today Everything changed after 9/11, a very sad day in New York City, 20 Years Ago Today. When you could see the Twin Towers directly through the middle of the Washington Square … Read more…

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Girl with Sketchpad at Washington Square Park Fountain, 1956

July 18, 2021

Girl with Sketchpad Fountain Steps Washington Square Park, 1956. Photo: Nat Norman Learn more about this time period at the park here: 1950s & 60s Washington Square Captured in New Exhibit, Folk City, at Museum … Read more…

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If You Always Wanted to Know Where Minetta Brook Flows Under Washington Square Park

June 19, 2021June 19, 2021

The New York City Parks Department prepared an Archaeological Assessment of Washington Square Park in 2005 prior to the park’s controversial redesign (2007-2014+). The affiliated map outlines where long-forgotten Minetta Creek flows (once flowed?) under … Read more…

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60 Years Ago This Month, The 1961 “Folk Riot” at Washington Square Park Occurred

April 28, 2021

A Pivotal Piece of the Park’s History 60 years ago this month, the Washington Square Park “Folk Riot”, a pivotal part of this Greenwich Village park’s history, occurred. That date, April 9, 1961, and what … Read more…

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Key Posts over the Years


Exitus Acta Probat: The Washington Square Arch

Phase I Opens! May 2009

NYC's Redesign Plans for Washington Square Park

Washington Square 6 A.M. Fall 2011

NBC News Reports on This Blog's Report of Trees Repeatedly Dying Around the Fountain

Actually, Mr. Vellonakis, the Washington Square Fountain is Already Aligned

The Shell Game: On NYU 2031 Expansion Plan

New Happenings On West 8th Street

Neighborhood Spotlight: Think Coffee on Mercer Street

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For my Activist Friends

Realize that little things lead to bigger things ... And there's a wonderful parable in the New Testament: The sower scatters seeds. Some seeds fall in the pathway and get stamped on, and they don't grow. Some fall on the rocks, and they don't grow. But some seeds fall on fallow ground, and they grow and multiply a thousandfold. Who knows where some good little thing that you've done may bring results years later that you never dreamed of. ~ Pete Seeger

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Series on misrepresentations and evasions by Parks Department & WSP Conservancy to push this private entity through: Private Conservancy Watch This organization does not run or manage the park.

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