A Brief History of the Park
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1876, the park became the first site to display the Statue of Liberty's torch-bearing arm.
The First Annual N.Y. Bench Show, which continued on to become the Westminister Kennel Show, was held in the park in 1877.
The first Madison Square Garden opened on the Northeast corner of the park in 1879. Although it moved several times in the 20th century it kept its original name.
The park is the setting for several of O. Henry's short stories, including "The Sparrows in Madison Square."
At the turn of the century many famous families lived in the elegant townhouse that circled the park, including people such as Winston Churchill's grandmother, Jenny Jerome, and Edith Warton.
On Christmas Eve in 1912, America's first community Christmas tree was lit in the park.
Features of the Park
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