Washington Square Park () is a public park located within the Manhattan borough of New York City. One of more than 1,700 parks in New York City, Washington Square is, along with Central Park, arguably one of the most well-known parks in New York City.

Washington Square Park is located in between Greenwich Village and the East Village, and is surrounded by New York University—indeed, the park doubles as the university's "campus green"—. The park is typically frequented by a variety of bohemian, intellectual, and non-traditional people. Perhaps because of this bohemianism, the park has developed a reputation for being a drug dealing hotspot, a fact often remarked upon in contemporary fictional accounts.

The 9.75 acre (39,000 m²) park is a major landmark in Downtown Manhattan, as well as being a popular meeting place. Little of the park is actually used for plantings, as much of it is paved. The two prominent features are Washington's Arch and the large fountain, in the center of the park. Various statues and monuments are displayed in the park; in addition to the obvious monument to George Washington, there is a prominent statue of Garibaldi. Located at the foot of Fifth Avenue, the park is bordered by Washington Square North (Waverly Place east and west of the park), Washington Square East (University Place north of the park), Washington Square South (West 4th Street east and west of the park), and Washington Square West (MacDougal Street north and south of the park).

The property was once a marsh fed by Minetta Brook. It was located near a Native American village known as Sapokanikan or “Tobacco Field.” In 1797 the Common Council acquired the land for use as a potter's field or common burial ground. The field was also used for public executions, giving rise to the tale of the Hangman’s Elm which stands in the northwest corner of the park. The cemetery was eventually closed in 1823 and designated as a public park.

In 1871, the park was relandscaped by the newly formed New York City Department of Parks.

In 1889, to celebrate the centennial of George Washington's inauguration as president of the United States, a large plaster and wood Memorial Arch was erected at the northern entrance to the park. The plaster and wood arch was replaced in 1892 with a marble arch designed by Stanford White, standing at 77 feet (23 m).

Built-in chess tables on the southwest corner encourage outdoor playing along with throngs of watchers (in his youth, Stanley Kubrick was a frequent player). These tables were featured in the 1994 film, Searching for Bobby Fischer. The Washington Square tables form the cornerstone of what is called Manhattan's "chess district," as the area around the park (Thompson Street, between West 3rd and Bleecker Streets) has a number of chess shops in addition to the playing location in the park. Also, the renowned Marshall Chess Club is nearby at 23 West 10th Street.

The park is frequented by many talented folk artists, street musicians, and other performers. Each year, thousands of New York University graduates march under the arch into the park to participate in commencement.

As of 2006, Greenwich Village is embroiled in a controversy over the NYC Parks Department's proposed redesign plan, which would cost roughly 16 million dollars. The most controversial aspect of the proposed plan is a four-foot (1.2 m) fence to be built around the park. Other debated points include the relocation of landmarks such as the Garibaldi statue and the fountain, raising the entire park to street level, and the fact that the park's history as a cemetery means that renovations may "disturb hallowed ground." In July 2005, a lawsuit was filed against the Parks Department, arguing that their plan to redesign the park is "arbitrary, capricious, unreasonable and illegal."

Reference links

• Information about Washington Square Park at the New York City Deparment of Parks and Recreation website
• Washington Square Arch: A Triumph (2001)

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