Fitz-Greene Halleck

Sculptor: James Wilson Alexander MacDonald (1824-1908)
Date: 1876; Placed in Park: 1877
Donor: Gift by public subscription
Material: Bronze

The least known literary figure today on Literary Walk, Halleck was a writer of satirical and romantic verse, and for many years the personal secretary to the eminent John Jacob Astor. The statue has the distinction of having been dedicated by U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes.

To read the Parks Department's historical sign, click here.

Location

• Literary Walk/The Mall, Eastside at 66th Street

This monument was first hot waxed in 1983, then again in 1992. The pen, which had been missing since the earliest known photographs, was replaced in 1997. In 1999, the Central Park Conservancy did a comprehensive restoration, including dewaxing, pressure washing, and repatination, followed by a coating of a corrosion inhibiting lacquer.