New York City is home to some of the most famous monuments in the world, ranging from the massive Statue of Liberty to the iconic Wall Street Bull to the distinctive Rockefeller Center. These landmarks have created countless cultural and economic opportunities that have been realized across the city. However, many other landmarks have defined the neighborhood or area in which they reside, cultivating attention from across the community and beyond.
A bronze statue of composer, playwright, producer and actor George M. Cohan was installed at Duffy Square in 1959. Cohan wrote more than 50 shows and published more than 300 songs during his lifetime and was known as “the man who owned Broadway.” The piece celebrates the legacy of his contributions to American musical theatre.
Annular Eclipse is one of a series of stainless-steel pieces by George Rickey. Sitting outside of the Fox News Headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, two wind-powered 35’ high stainless-steel rings define Rickey’s last major work. The circles have the ability to move 365 degrees if winds are strong enough.
The Ralph Kramden statue sits outside of the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Depicting the fictional New York City bus driver from the 1950s television comedy “The Honeymooners” played by Jackie Gleason, it was the first of several sculptures depicting TV characters from the era. The cable television station TV Land had commissioned these pieces that were called “TV Land Landmarks,” enabling the sculpture and others to become tourist attractions.
The Fiorello La Guardia Statue honors the mayor who led an unprecedented expansion of New York City throughout the 1930s and early 1940s. An effort to renovate the barren public plazas in Little Italy in the 1990s led to the creation of a sculpture of La Guardia for the neighborhood in which he was raised. Installed in 1994, it honors him as a leader who helped build the modern metropolis. These are just a few of the obscure and outstanding monuments located throughout New York City. Residents and visitors view and engage with all of these pieces in distinct ways, highlighting the various means of connection that such attractions can enable to positively define communities and entire cities.
These are just a few of the obscure and outstanding monuments located throughout New York City. Residents and visitors view and engage with all of these pieces in district ways, highlighting how many different ways such attractions can positively define cities and communities.
