Hangman's Elm

Hangman's Elm is an English elm tree in the northwest corner of Washington Square Park with considerable height and a thick trunk supporting dense foliage. It occupies a commanding spot in this corner of the park and offers generous shade beneath its broad canopy.

The tree dates back more than 330 years, having survived Manhattan's transformation from farmland into a major urban center. It witnessed the development of the park and the surrounding neighborhood across centuries of change.

Locals call it the Hanging Tree, though the legend loosely connects to a real execution from 1820 that occurred some distance away. The name and its dark associations shape how people talk about this corner of the park and the stories they pass along.

The tree stands on the northwest side of the park and is easy to locate by following the main pathways. It remains accessible year-round and appears most striking during the late afternoon light.

This is Manhattan's oldest known living tree, having outlasted other renowned trees in the city by a significant margin. Its age surpasses even trees with strong historical connections to the city's earliest settlers.