Madison Square Park

History
Parks and Gardens

Romane

Published on 18/03/2025

This point of interest is available as audio on the tour: Visit New York, In the heart of Manhattan

Introducing Madison Square Park, one of the many parks in the city, dating back to 1847! Back in 1876, the torch-bearing arm of the Statue of Liberty was placed here to impress the locals and encourage them to make donations to help build the statue’s current pedestal. Before becoming a park in the 19th century, this small square served, like many parks, as a cemetery and a hunting ground before that. It had even served as a baseball field for players of what would become the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club of New York, one of the first organized baseball teams. They’d play here long before the club was even founded. Madison Square Park was also home to the first Shake Shack restaurant, a famous American fast-food restaurant serving burgers that are very popular with New Yorkers. Originally lined with brownstone houses and mansions, this neighborhood was the birthplace of some of the greatest names in the country, including Theodore Roosevelt, Edith Wharton and Winston Churchill’s mother. Madison Square Garden, the legendary venue that now hosts international stars and major sporting events, originally stood nearby. Spanning nearly 3 hectares, Madison Square Park is a go-to spot for New Yorkers who come here for picnics under the tall shady trees. The park is named after James Madison, the fourth U.S. president and one of the country’s Founding Fathers. It’s a great place to escape the city’s hustle and it offers stunning views of Manhattan’s towering skyscrapers!