Statue of Christopher Columbus (Astoria, Queens)

Last updated
Statue of Christopher Columbus
Archives of American Art - Angelo Racioppi - 2331.jpg
Racioppi working on the statue
USA New York City location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Statue of Christopher Columbus
ArtistAngelo Racioppi
Year1941 (1941)
MediumBronze
SubjectChristopher Columbus
LocationColumbus Square park, Astoria, Queens
Coordinates 40°46′12.3″N73°55′3.4″W / 40.770083°N 73.917611°W / 40.770083; -73.917611

Columbus is a statue in Astoria, Queens created by Angelo Racioppi with funds from the New York City Works Progress Administration Art Project. It stands in Columbus Square park, near the Astoria Boulevard station of the New York City Subway. Dedicated in 1941, it is in bronze on a cast stone base. [1] [2] It depicts Christopher Columbus as a young, energetic explorer at the helm. [3] The base the statue sits on suggests the prow of a ship. [1]

Contents

History

As installed in Columbus Triangle Columbus Triangle PM jeh.jpg
As installed in Columbus Triangle

The origins of the statue lie in the 1920s in the Italian-American community in Long Island and Astoria. It began raising money for the statue, but work stalled when the community couldn't afford a base. [2] [3] By 1930, the Board of Aldermen had renamed the park, on the east side of the Astoria Boulevard (BMT Astoria Line) station, Columbus Square. The statue was dedicated in 1941, but that year it provoked an argument between Queens Borough President George U. Harvey and Parks Commissioner Robert Moses. [1] During World War II, the statue was removed and hidden on fears of being taken for war-use scrap metal. After some years in warehouses and the basement of Queens Borough Hall, it was reinstalled on its base. [2] [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queens</span> Borough and county in New York, United States

Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is the largest of the five New York City boroughs by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn and by Nassau County to its east, and shares maritime borders with the boroughs of Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island, as well as with New Jersey. Queens is the most linguistically and ethnically diverse place in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long Island City</span> Neighborhood of Queens in New York City

Long Island City (LIC) is a neighborhood on the western tip of the New York City borough of Queens. It is bordered by Astoria to the north; the East River to the west; Sunnyside to the east; and Newtown Creek, which separates Queens from Greenpoint, Brooklyn, to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flushing, Queens</span> Neighborhood in New York City

Flushing is a neighborhood in the north-central portion of the New York City borough of Queens. The neighborhood is the fourth-largest central business district in New York City. Downtown Flushing is a major commercial and retail area, and the intersection of Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue at its core is the third-busiest in New York City, behind Times Square and Herald Square.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Astoria, Queens</span> Neighborhood in New York City

Astoria is a neighborhood in the western portion of the New York City borough of Queens. Astoria is bounded by the East River and is adjacent to four other Queens neighborhoods: Long Island City to the southwest, Sunnyside to the southeast, and Woodside and East Elmhurst to the east. As of 2019, Astoria has an estimated population of 95,446.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamaica, Queens</span> Neighborhood in New York City

Jamaica is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It is mainly composed of a large commercial and retail area, though part of the neighborhood is also residential. Jamaica is bordered by Hollis to the east; St. Albans, Springfield Gardens, Rochdale Village to the southeast; South Jamaica to the south; Richmond Hill and South Ozone Park to the west; Briarwood to the northwest; and Kew Gardens Hills, Jamaica Hills, and Jamaica Estates to the north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mets–Willets Point station (IRT Flushing Line)</span> New York City Subway station in Queens

The Mets–Willets Point station is a rapid transit station on the IRT Flushing Line of the New York City Subway. Located near the Citi Field baseball stadium, it is served by the 7 train at all times and by the express <7> train during rush hours in the peak direction or after sporting events. This station is located near Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Willets Point, Queens, on Roosevelt Avenue between 114th and 126th Streets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woodside, Queens</span> Neighborhood in New York City

Woodside is a neighborhood in the western portion of the borough of Queens in New York City. It is bordered on the south by Maspeth, on the north by Astoria, on the west by Sunnyside, and on the east by Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, and East Elmhurst. Some areas are widely residential and very quiet, while other parts, especially the ones around Roosevelt Avenue, are busier.

The BMT Astoria Line is a rapid transit line in the B Division of the New York City Subway, serving the Queens neighborhood of Astoria. It runs south from Ditmars Boulevard in Astoria to 39th Avenue in Long Island City above 31st Street. It then turns west and serves Queensboro Plaza over Queens Plaza.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunnyside, Queens</span> Neighborhood in New York City

Sunnyside is a neighborhood in the western portion of the New York City borough of Queens. It shares borders with Hunters Point and Long Island City to the west, Astoria to the north, Woodside to the east and Maspeth to the south. It contains the Sunnyside Gardens Historic District, one of the first planned communities in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penn's Landing</span> Neighborhood of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, United States

Penn's Landing is a waterfront area of Center City Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, situated along the Delaware River. Its name commemorates the landing of William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, in 1682. The actual landing site is farther south, in Chester. The city of Philadelphia purchased the right to use the name. Penn's Landing is bounded by Front Street to the west, the Delaware River to the east, Spring Garden Street to the north, and Washington Avenue to the south, and is primarily focused on the Christopher Columbus Boulevard corridor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Elmhurst, Queens</span> Neighborhood in New York City

East Elmhurst is a residential neighborhood in the northwest section of the New York City borough of Queens. It is bounded to the south by Jackson Heights and Corona, to the north and east by Bowery Bay, and to the west by Woodside and Ditmars Steinway. The area also includes LaGuardia Airport, located on the shore of Flushing Bay, LaGuardia Landing Lights Fields, and Astoria Heights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Triboro Coach</span> Defunct bus company in New York City

Triboro Coach Corporation was a bus company in New York City, United States, operating local service in Queens and express routes to Manhattan until February 20, 2006, when MTA Bus took over all of its bus operations and services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Astoria Boulevard station</span> New York City Subway station in Queens

The Astoria Boulevard station is an express station on the BMT Astoria Line of the New York City Subway. Located on 31st Street between Astoria Boulevard and the Grand Central Parkway in Astoria, Queens, the station is served by the N train at all times, as well as by the W train on weekdays.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Astoria Park</span> Public park in Queens, New York

Astoria Park is a 59.96-acre (24.26 ha) public park in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens in New York City. The park is situated on the eastern shore of the Hell Gate, a strait of the East River, between Ditmars Boulevard to the north and Hoyt Avenue to the south. The Robert F. Kennedy (Triborough) and Hell Gate Bridges respectively pass over the park's southern and northern sections. Astoria Park contains a playground, a soccer field, a running track, a skate park, and courts for tennis, basketball, and bocce. Astoria Park also includes the Astoria Play Center, which consists of a recreation center and a pool. The park and play center are maintained by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">66th Street (Manhattan)</span> West-east street in Manhattan, New York

66th Street is a crosstown street in the New York City borough of Manhattan with portions on the Upper East Side and Upper West Side connected across Central Park via the 66th Street transverse. West 66th Street is notable for hosting the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts between Broadway and Columbus Avenue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Verdi Square</span> Public park in Manhattan, New York

Verdi Square is a 0.1-acre (400 m2) park on a trapezoidal traffic island on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. Named for Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi, the park is bounded by 72nd Street on the south, 73rd Street on the north, Broadway on the west, and Amsterdam Avenue on the east. Verdi Square's irregular shape arises from Broadway's diagonal path relative to the Manhattan street grid. The western half of the park is built on the former northbound lanes of Broadway, which were closed permanently in 2003 during a renovation of the New York City Subway's adjacent 72nd Street station. Verdi Square is designated as a New York City scenic landmark and is maintained by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giuseppe Verdi Monument</span> Sculpture in Manhattan, New York, U.S.

The Giuseppe Verdi Monument is a sculpture honoring composer Giuseppe Verdi in Verdi Square Park in Manhattan, New York City. The statue was created by Italian sculptor Pasquale Civiletti.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Modern Art Foundry</span>

The Modern Art Foundry is an historic foundry in Astoria, Queens, New York, founded in 1932 by John Spring. His descendants continue to operate the business in what used to be the carriage house of the Steinway Mansion.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Columbus Statue". City of New York Parks and Recreation. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 Peter van der Krogt. "Christopher Columbus in Queens". Columbus Monuments Pages. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 Pollak, Michael (9 October 2005). "Columbus in Hiding". The New York Times . Retrieved 17 December 2011.