Washington Irving Memorial
Why it's listed
Washington Irving is honored in Irvington by a memorial of polished pink Vermont granite and bronze, placed at Broadway and Sunnyside Lane, the road leading toward his home, Sunnyside. A central slab carries a heroic-scale bronze bust of Irving by Daniel Chester French, flanked by bas-relief figures of Rip Van Winkle and Boabdil, the last king of Granada. Curved wing walls and iron fencing, designed by architect Charles A. Platt, frame the platform, and Sunnyside Creek runs through a culvert beneath the monument. Resident Jennie Prince Black began the campaign in 1909 and spent eighteen years raising about $50,000 from estate owners, schoolchildren and supporters worldwide. The memorial was dedicated on June 27, 1927. Planned benches, steps and a surrounding park were never built because of cost. The platform paving was replaced with concrete in 1985, and the bronze and granite were restored in 1998. It is valued as a work of a master sculptor and as a local tribute to America's first world-recognized author.
Significance in brief: The memorial is argued to be a distinctive commemorative object raised by local citizens to honor Irving's achievements and his tie to the village. It is also a distinguished work by master sculptor Daniel Chester French, with architectural elements designed by Charles A. Platt, and it reflects the aesthetics of its period.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 00001062, listed September 8, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Broadway and Sunnyside Ln., Irvington |
|---|---|
| County | Westchester County |
| Listed | September 8, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00001062 |
| Resource type | Object |
| Period of significance | 1925-27 |
| Architect / builder | Daniel Chester French, sculptor; Charles A. Platt, architect |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century Revivals, Neo-Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Art |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The bronze and granite were professionally restored in 1998 after a period of neglect; the platform paving was replaced with concrete in 1985. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.04803, -73.86148 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 00001062.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7971997
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.