Vietnam Veterans Plaza facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Vietnam Veterans Plaza |
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| New York City Department of Parks and Recreation | |
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| For New York City veterans of the Vietnam War | |
| Established | May 4, 1985 |
| Location | 40°42′09″N 74°00′35″W / 40.7025°N 74.009722°W Financial District, Manhattan
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| Designed by | Peter Wormser, William Fellows, and Joseph Ferrandino |
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The Vietnam Veterans Plaza is a special place in Manhattan, New York. It is a memorial that honors people from New York City who served in the Vietnam War. This war took place in the 20th century.
Contents
What is the Vietnam Veterans Plaza?
The Plaza's Location and Early History
The plaza is in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan. It sits on land that used to be a road called Coenties Slip. In the 1600s, Dutch sailors used this slip road between their journeys.
In 1835, the slip was filled in. Later, in 1884, it became Jeannette Park. This park was named after the Jeannette, a ship from the ill-fated Jeannette Expedition. A garden was designed here in 1886 by a garden expert named Samuel Parsons.
How the Park Changed Over Time
By the mid-1900s, a city planner named Robert Moses rebuilt the park. He added areas for games like horseshoe pitches, tennis, and handball. These were all around a tear-shaped asphalt area with a flagpole.
In 1971, Paul Friedberg was asked to redesign the land. He added an amphitheater fountain to the park.
Creating the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
In 1982, plans were made to turn the land into a memorial. Architects Peter Wormser and William Fellows, along with writer Joseph Ferrandino, won a contest to design it.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Commission raised money for the memorial. They got $2.5 million from private donations in 1983. One million dollars came from Donald Trump, who helped lead the commission.
The memorial was officially opened on May 4, 1985. The mayor at the time, Edward I. Koch, dedicated it. It honors 1,741 New York City citizens who died during the Vietnam War. It also remembers the 250,000 men and women who served between 1964 and 1975.
Updates and Features of the Plaza
On November 9, 2001, Mayor Rudy Giuliani rededicated the plaza. This happened after the September 11, 2001, attacks. The plaza had a $7 million restoration.
A new entrance was added, connecting Water Street to South Street. A black granite fountain was placed in the center. The "Walk of Honor" has 12 shiny granite pillars. These pillars have the names of all 1,741 people who died during the war.
See also
In Spanish: Plaza de los Veteranos de Vietnam para niños
