Union Square Park

uploaded on December 11, 2009 at 05:10 PM by Erin Hamilton

uploaded on December 11, 2009 at 05:10 PM by Erin Hamilton

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Separate play space for 2-5 year olds (tot lot). An eyesore as recently as the 1970s, 3-and-1/2-acre Union Square Park has gradually evolved into a dynamic, attractive, and heavily utilized park space. The stone and pavement plaza on the south end is dominated by an enormous equine statue of George Washington and is flanked by two subway kiosks. The center of the park is a large lawn, which is sometimes partially or totally off-limits when the grass is being seeded. When it's open it's a very pleasant, shady place to sit and relax. At the center of the lawn is the Independence Flagstaff, a beautifully sculpted bronze edifice constructed in 1926 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of US independence. There's a procession of several figures for children to identify (a native American, various workers, etc), and underfoot are stars for each of the (then) 48 states. The Declaration is inscribed in bronze at the south side; a famous Thomas Jefferson quotation is inscribed in