2001 Historical Sign Unveiling

It was quite a breezy and cold December afternoon, but that didn't stop us all from witnessing the unveiling of the 2001st Parks Historical Sign. Amongst those on hand were members of the Central Park Conservancy, NYC Parks Department and the Parks Commissioner himself, Henry J. Stern.

At the southwestern entrance to Central Park (at 59th St. and Central Park West) the Maine Monument Historical Sign can now be seen.

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The following is simply a sample of the information provided by these Parks signs (24" x 36", displayed in NYC's parks).

Maine Monument located at the Merchant's Gate in Central Park was erected in 1892 to provide balance to the monumental column at Columbus Circle. The monument honors the 258 American sailors who perished when the battleship Maine exploded in harbor of Havana, Cuba, then under Spanish rule. The causes of the February 15, 1898 explosion remain unclear, but by April of that year, Spain had declared war on the United States.

As explained by the NYC Parks Department, they exist for the sake of teaching parks users about their own parks, providing a sense of community, and creating a bond between the NYC parks and their users.

I couldn't agree more! - LED