4. The Mixed Up Statue of William H. Seward in Madison Square Park

Urban legend says that sculptor Randolph Rogers put Seward’s head onto an extra copy of Lincoln’s body, which he had lying around. William H. Seward served as Lincoln’s Secretary of State, and oversaw the purchase of Alaska. For over a hundred years, there were rumors that the statue’s construction committee had failed to raise the $25,000 necessary to build the statue, so they asked Rogers to do his best with what they had. The result seemed to resemble Lincoln’s body more than Seward’s, which reinforced the story. Unfortunately, based on evidence gathered by Untapped history editor Benjamin Waldman, the rumor seems to be untrue.