William Henry Seward Memorial

The William Henry Seward Memorial is a bronze bust located in a circular plaza in downtown Florida, New York. Stone benches surround the work along Main Street, creating a small public gathering space in the town center.

The memorial was completed in 1930 and honors William Henry Seward, who served as Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln. Seward is primarily remembered for negotiating the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867, a major turning point in American territorial expansion.

The creator, Daniel Chester French, was the same artist who made the Lincoln Memorial statue, bringing national artistic prestige to this local memorial. Visitors can see how a small town chose to honor one of America's leading political figures.

The memorial is easily accessible from Main Street and also from the grounds of the nearby S.S. Seward Institute school. Visitors approaching from either direction will find the circular plaza straightforward to locate and navigate.

The bust and surrounding stone benches underwent full restoration in 2000 after being vandalized. This careful restoration work preserved the monument and allows visitors today to see it as originally intended.

Location: New York

GPS coordinates: 41.33367,-74.35712

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:40