Statue of Historic Figure: Fitz-Greene Halleck - Central Park, NY, NY

Fitz-Greene Halleck

Central Park

NY, NY

N 40° 46.238 W 073° 58.332

Short Description: 

A monument honoring American poet and essayist Fitz-Greene Halleck is located behind a 3' high iron fence on the south end of The Mall, known as Literary Walk, in Central Park, New York City.

Long Description:

A 7.25' by 1.5' by 5.5' bronze statue of poet and essayist Fitz-Green Halleck is set on a 6' by 5.5' by 6.5' granite base. Halleck is seated on an elaborate footed chair under which is a pile of books. He has his left leg crossed over his right leg. His right arm is handing over the chair and he is holding a pen in his right hand. He is wearing a suit and vest. An ascot is wrapped around his neck. A cloak is draped over the back of the chair and sprawls on the floor on both sides of the chair.

The monument was created by James Wilson Alexander MacDonald in 1876 and dedicated on May 15, 1877. The front of the base is inscribed FITZ GREENE HALLECK

Fitz-Greene Halleck was born in Guilford, CT on July 8, 1790. He attended Academy on Guilford Green before leaving school at age 15 to work in the family store. He moved to New York City in May 1811 and found employment working in a bank.

He, along with Washington Irving, James Fenimore Cooper, William Cullen Bryant, and others were part of the The Knickerbocker Group. Writers who were American literary pioneers. In 1819 he and his friend Joseph Rodman Drake published the Croaker Papers, a series of 35 satirical poems about New York society. The same year, Halleck wrote his long poem Fanny, a satire on the literature, fashions, and politics of the time.

Other works by Fitz-Greene Halleck include: Alnwick Castle, with Other Poems (1827), Specimens of American Poetry (1829) and American Common-Place Book of Poetry (1831). Halleck also edited The works of Lord Byron, in verse and prose, including letters, journals, etc: with a sketch of his life (1833) and Selections from the British Poets (1840).

Fitz-Greene Halleck died on November 19, 1867 andis buried at Alderbrook Cemetery in Guilford, CT.