Washington Square (Philadelphia)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Washington Square, originally designated in 1682 as Southeast Square, is an open-space park in Center City Philadelphia's Southeast quadrant and one of the five original planned squares laid out on the city grid by William Penn. It is part of both the Washington Square West and Society Hill neighborhoods.

During the 18th Century the Square was commonly used to graze animals and as a potter's field. During the Revolutionary War, the square was used as a burial ground for citizens and troops from the Colonial army.

After the Revolution, victims of the city's yellow fever epidemics were interred here, and the square was used for cattle markets and camp meetings. Improvement efforts began in 1815, as the neighborhoods around the square were developed and became fashionable. In 1825 the park was named Washington Square in tribute to George Washington and a monument to Washington was proposed. This monument was never built but served as the seed for the eventual tribute to soldiers of the Revolutionary War. The Curtis Building sits to the north of the park, a remnant of Philadelphia's publishing industry.

[edit] Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

In 1952 the square was undergoing a renovation. During this renovation it was decided that instead of the original proposed monument to Washington, that a monument to all soldiers and sailors of the Revolutionary War should be built. The monument was designed by architect G. Edwin Brumbaugh.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier memorial is located within Washington Square. The bodies of an unknown number of soldiers remain buried under the square and the area around it. Some are still found during construction and maintenance projects.