Eleanor Roosevelt Monument, Bronze sculpture in Riverside Park, US
The Eleanor Roosevelt Monument is a bronze statue in Riverside Park on the west side of Manhattan, showing the former First Lady seated on a large granite boulder. A circular garden bed lined with oak trees surrounds the figure and gives the spot a defined, sheltered feel.
The monument was unveiled in 1996, becoming the first public artwork in New York City dedicated to an American woman and a former First Lady. Before that, no woman had ever been honored with a public statue in the city.
Granite panels around the statue carry excerpts from Eleanor Roosevelt's speeches, carved directly into the stone. Visitors can read her words while standing close to the figure, which gives the visit a more personal feel.
The site is accessible by ramp and handrailed stairs and is easy to reach on foot from Riverside Drive. Visiting during the day is a good idea, since the monument is outdoors and not lit at night.
The face and upper body of the bronze figure were modeled after Phoebe Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt's great-granddaughter. This means a living family member served as the model, which is something most visitors walking past would never guess.
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