Union Square is located between 14th Street and 17th Street in Manhattan and today, this square is one of the most popular in New York City. The area was initially a farmland and a potter’s field until it became a public area for the city called Union Place which would eventually be renamed Union Square. In 1839, the area became an official New York City park.
A fountain was built in the center of Union Square to receive water from the Croton Aqueduct. By the first decade of the 20th century, Union Square had grown into a major transportation hub when New York City Subway's 14th Street–Union Square station opened in 1904. The square was the site of the first Labor Day parade in 1883. During the late 20th Century, the park was a dangerous place filled with drug dealers and homeless people. Today, the square in extremely popular with great restaurants, apartments buildings, shopping stores and one of the largest green markets in the city which started in 1975. The square has many famous statures within the park including George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi, and the Marquis de Lafayette.
Come take a New York City walking tour with me and we’ll explore the many secrets and treasures of Union Square. Visit my website EyesOnManhattan.com and you’ll be able to book the tour called “A Tale of Three Squares.”