The plaster was painted a gleaming ivory-white and adorned with molded ornamentation of festoons and wreaths. The original plaster and wooden arch spanned 5th Avenue block north of Washington Square - photo Library of Congress Costing $2,500 raised through private donations, it was erected one block north of Washington Square, spanning 5th Avenue a few days before the centennial date. White designed a wooden structure slathered with “staff” - a mixture of molded plaster over straw. The idea of a temporary arch was almost immediately brought up and equally-quickly agreed upon. Stewart approached architect Stanford White to serve as director of the commemoration. While such arches had been a fixture in major European cities for centuries, there had never been a stone arch erected in the United States to date. That same year Queen Victoria’s 50th year on the throne was celebrated in London with elaborate displays around temporary triumphal arches. In 1887, while several different groups were hatching ideas for the celebration, William Rhinelander Stewart – a member of the wealthy Rhinelander real estate and sugar-importing family – devised his own idea of the festivities. The anniversary would also provide an opportunity to remind the country that New York was the nation's first capitol. The designer, Brian Tovar, confirmed that the Arch will be lit again tonight.Victorian New Yorkers were eager for any reason to stage elaborate celebrations with public fanfare and the approaching centennial of George Washington’s inauguration on Approvided just such an excuse. Designed by Brian Tovar, the tricolor effect was achieved using spotlights as well LEDs at the bases and midpoints on each leg of the arch. We won’t change our values.”ĭuring the lighting, there was talk around the park that this was the first time in its history that the Washington Square Park arch had been illuminated in anything but its usual white. The mayor added, “The only answer to terrorism is to be resolute to not allow the terrorists to change who we are. The arch will be lit up for all to see overnight.Īccompanied by French Ambassador Gerard Araud and Consulate General Bertrand Lortholary, de Blasio laid flowers by the arch. The Empire State Building was turned off.Ī vigil remained below the arch and on either side, including flowers, notes and messages of strength. The Freedom Tower spiral was lit in honor of the flag as well. The City Hall clock tower will be lit blue, white and red in honor of those killed. after visiting the French Consulate, where a small memorial formed Friday evening after the attacks. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio attended the vigil around 2 p.m. New Yorkers gathered around the arch in Washington Square Park on Saturday to mourn those killed in a series of attacks by the Islamic State in Paris. Via Newsweek, New York Mourns Paris Attacks in Washington Square Vigil: The colors are correlated to the country’s aristocratic and revolutionary history. More than 20 countries use these three colors in their flag, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. From the flagstaff to the end, these colors are blue, white, and red. The French flag contains three vertical stripes of equal width. The Arch will be lit again in the colors of the French flag tonight, Sunday, November 15th. I am honored to have lit the Washington Square Park arch with the support of the most amazing team of friends and colleagues.” The lighting effects were created by artist Brian Tovar who wrote: “respond to violence with art and light. Over 100 people died and more than 400 people were injured in the attacks of November 13th. The Washington Square Arch was modeled after Paris’s Arc de Triomphe so it is particularly fitting that the vigil was held beneath it. Mayor Bill de Blasio joined the vigil a French flag was hung from the Arch and the structure was lit up in its colors of blue, white, and red. Over 1,000 people gathered in Washington Square Park yesterday afternoon, Saturday, November 14th to mourn the victims of Friday’s attacks on Paris.
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