Herald Square facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Herald Square
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| State | New York |
| City | New York City |
| Borough | Manhattan |
| Boundaries | Broadway, 6th Avenue, 34th and 47th Streets |
| Transit connections | New York City Subway:         at 34th Street–Herald SquarePATH: JSQ-33, JSQ-33 (via HOB), HOB-33 at 33rd Street |
Herald Square is a famous spot in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It's a busy intersection where Broadway, Sixth Avenue (also called Avenue of the Americas), and 34th Street meet. This area is named after an old newspaper called the New York Herald. The newspaper used to have its main office here.
The intersection is shaped like a bow tie. It has two main parts. The northern part is called Herald Square. The southern part is called Greeley Square.
Contents
Discovering Herald Square
Herald Square is the northern part of this famous intersection. It sits between West 34th and 35th streets. The old New York Herald Building used to be located right on the square.
The James Gordon Bennett Monument
Herald Square has a huge mechanical clock. Its parts were built in 1895 by a sculptor named Antonin Jean Carles. This monument is called the James Gordon Bennett Monument. It features the Goddess of Wisdom, Minerva, with her owls. She stands in front of a large bell. Two bell ringers stand on each side of Minerva.
The monument is made of Milford pink granite. The bell was designed to chime every hour. The two bronze figures are seven feet tall. They are nicknamed Stuff and Guff. They look like they are ringing the bell with their mallets. But actually, the bell is rung by mallets hidden behind it.
These figures and the clock were first part of the 1894 New York Herald Building. When the building was torn down in 1921, the figures were saved. They were put back in Herald Square in 1940.
Exploring Greeley Square
Greeley Square is located between West 32nd and 33rd streets. It is between Broadway and Sixth Avenue. Most of this area is a triangular park. It is named after Horace Greeley. He was the publisher of the New York Tribune. This newspaper was a rival to the Herald. Later, the two newspapers joined together to form the New York Herald Tribune.
There is a statue of Greeley inside the park. It was made in 1890 by Alexander Doyle. The small park has trees and bushes. It is surrounded by a wrought-iron fence. There are also chairs, tables, and a small restaurant kiosk.
Today, Herald and Greeley Squares are places for people to relax. Thousands of shoppers come here to rest. Office workers enjoy their lunch breaks here. The squares are also used for product launches, music shows, and filming movies or photos.
Shopping in the Area
The area around Herald Square is a big shopping center. It is along Broadway and 34th Street. The most famous store here is Macy's Herald Square. This is the main flagship store for Macy's. It is the largest Macy's store in the United States.
In 2007, Macy's, Inc. moved its main offices to this store. Another big store, Gimbels, was also in this neighborhood until 1984. In 1986, that building became the Manhattan Mall. Other stores that used to be here include E.J. Korvette, Stern's, and Abraham & Straus. J.C. Penney opened its first main store in Manhattan here in August 2009. It is in the Manhattan Mall, where A&S used to be.
Herald Square is about halfway between Madison Square to the south and Times Square to the north. The south side of Herald Square borders Koreatown, at West 32nd Street.
Getting Around: Transportation
You can reach Herald Square using the New York City Subway. The 34th Street–Herald Square station serves the area. It is used by the B D F M, N Q R W trains trains.
You can also use the PATH train system. The 33rd Street station serves the square. It is used by the HOB–33, JSQ–33, and JSQ–33 (via HOB) trains.
Renovations and Improvements
Since 1992, the 34th Street Partnership has taken care of Herald and Greeley Squares. This group helps improve the area. They provide cleaning and security services. They also maintain the trees, gardens, and plants. The partnership also organizes events, product launches, and photo shoots.
The 34th Street Partnership added movable chairs, tables, and umbrellas to the parks. In 1999, the parks were completely updated by the partnership. Two years later, they added the city's first automatic public toilets to each square. Since 2008, each square has had a food kiosk. These kiosks are operated by a sandwich, soup, and salad shop called 'Wichcraft. In 2009, the 34th Street Partnership made the automatic toilets free to use. Free public restrooms are rare in New York City.
Broadway Boulevard Project
In 2009, the New York City Department of Transportation started a project called "Broadway Boulevard". This project aimed to create more space for people walking. It focused on the part of Broadway between 35th and 42nd Streets.
The two blocks of Broadway between 33rd and 35th Streets were closed to cars. They became areas just for pedestrians and bikes. The 34th Street Partnership added chairs, tables, and umbrellas to this new pedestrian space. They also offered free public activities. These included chess tables, dance lessons, and exercise classes.
In April 2013, the boulevard was redesigned again. Because the pedestrian plaza and bike lanes were so popular, the plaza was redesigned once more in 2019. Another block of Broadway, between 32nd and 33rd Street, was closed to cars and bikes. 33rd Street, between Broadway and Sixth Avenue, was reopened. The bike lane through Greeley Square was moved from Broadway to Sixth Avenue. The restroom in Greeley Square was also fixed up in 2020.
See also
In Spanish: Herald Square para niños
