4. The Lost Grand Arches of NYC

Dewey Arch-Madison Square ParkThe Dewey Arch of 1899. Image via Library of Congress

Incredibly, there have been four temporary arches located at Madison Square. This is the Dewey Arch of 1899, which commemorated Commodore Dewey’s victory over the Spanish at Manila Bay the year before. Also in 1899, two arches were constructed to commemorate the centennial celebration of George Washington’s inauguration at 23rd Street and 26th Street.

In 1918, the Victory Arch was a temporary monument of wood and plaster built to commemorate New Yorkers who died in WWI.

As a fun note, the Washington Square Arch was also first a temporary arch funded by the residents around the square before a permanent one was built by Stanford White.

Read more about the New York City’s grand arches here.