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Flowers and candles adorn the Isidor and Ida Straus Memorial on April 15, 2012, the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.
Dedication of Straus Memorial, April 15, 1915

Straus Park is a small landscaped park on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, at the intersection of Broadway, West End Avenue, and 106th Street.

The most notable feature is a bronze 1913 statue by American artist Augustus Lukeman of a nymph gazing over a calm expanse of water in memory of Ida and Isidor Straus, husband and wife, he a United States congressman and co-owner of Macy's, who died together on RMS Titanic.[1][2] The model for the statue was Audrey Munson.[3] On the memorial is carved a passage from Second Samuel 1:23, "Lovely and pleasant were they in their lives and in their death they were not parted." The passage refers to Ida's choice to stay with her beloved husband, Isidor, rather than get safely into a lifeboat.[4]

The Strauses lived in a house at 2747 Broadway, between 105th and 106th Streets, one block south of the location of the memorial.[5]

The park exists on a small triangle of land at the intersection of Broadway and West End Avenue. It was known as Schuyler Square when acquired by the city in 1895 and was renamed Bloomingdale Square in 1907.[6] Between 1995 and 1997, Straus Park was renovated and expanded to the west, by the addition of 15 feet of West End Avenue. An endowment established by the Straus family funded the transformation of a neglected reflecting pool in front of the sculpture into a planting bed. The Friends of Straus Park fund maintenance and the planting of seasonal flowers.[5][7]

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Straus Park

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Straus Park is a small, 0.07-acre triangular public park situated at the intersection of Broadway, West End Avenue, and West 106th Street on Manhattan's in . Named in honor of (1845–1912), a co-owner of department store and philanthropist, and his wife (1849–1912), the park commemorates the couple's tragic deaths aboard the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912, during its maiden voyage. The site features a central memorial consisting of an exedra, planting bed, and bronze statue titled by sculptor Augustus Lukeman and architect Evarts Tracy, depicting a reclining overlooking a planting bed symbolizing the couple's enduring love. The land for Straus Park was acquired by the City of New York in 1895 and originally known as Schuyler Square, later renamed Bloomingdale Square around 1907 after the historic Bloomingdale Road that once passed through the area. Following the Titanic disaster, which claimed over 1,500 lives including the Strauses—who resided nearby at 27–47 Broadway—the park was rededicated as Straus Park in to honor their memory and legacy as prominent New Yorkers. The memorial was formally dedicated on April 15, 1915, exactly three years after the sinking, through public subscription and accepted by Mayor ; its inscription draws from II Samuel 1:23, reading "Lovely and pleasant were they in their lives, and in their death they were not divided," highlighting Ida's refusal to board a lifeboat without her husband. As a compact urban oasis classified as a triangle plaza, Straus Park offers benches, shaded pathways, seasonal plantings, and the memorial's planting bed, providing a quiet respite amid the bustling neighborhood. The park underwent significant renovations between 1995 and 1997 as part of an $800,000 restoration project to preserve its historical elements and enhance accessibility. Today, it is maintained by the Friends of Straus Park, a volunteer conservancy founded in 1992, which organizes community events, plantings, and upkeep to ensure the site's ongoing vitality as a of devotion and local history.

History

Early History

The Bloomingdale area, encompassing the site of what is now Straus Park at the intersection of Broadway and West 106th Street in , originated as a rural district in colonial New York. In the late 17th century, Dutch settlers named the region "Bloemendael," meaning "valley of flowers," reflecting its lush, flower-filled landscape of forests and meadows along the . This area, stretching roughly from present-day 23rd Street to 125th Street and inland to about Eighth Avenue, was initially sparsely settled by Dutch and English farmers who cultivated the fertile land for crops such as wheat, beans, and squash to supply the growing population of (later ). By the early , the Bloomingdale district had evolved into a patchwork of farmland and country estates, serving as an agricultural extension of the urban core to the south. The construction of Bloomingdale Road—authorized by the colonial legislature in 1703 and laid out around 1707—marked a pivotal development, transforming the winding indigenous Wickquasgeck Trail into a major thoroughfare that ran northward along the approximate route of modern Broadway. This road facilitated access for and merchants, promoting the area's role as a suburban farming community with scattered homesteads and estates owned by prosperous New Yorkers seeking respite from the city. The land at Broadway and 106th Street formed part of this rural corridor, characterized by open fields and minimal urbanization until the late . During the , the site gained military significance following the British capture of on September 15, 1776. British forces, advancing northward after , established a defensive line across the island, and the Straus Park location served as the western end of one such built to secure their position against potential American counterattacks. This was part of broader British encampments along Bloomingdale Road, where troops were quartered amid the surrounding farms, disrupting local and turning the area into a strategic zone during the occupation of , which lasted until 1783. The site's role in these events underscored Bloomingdale's transformation from peaceful farmland to a contested in the conflict. This historical backdrop persisted until the late 19th century, when the City of New York acquired the triangular plot in 1895 for public use.

Acquisition and Naming

In 1895, acquired a small triangular plot of land at the intersection of Broadway, West End Avenue, and West 106th Street on Manhattan's , establishing it as the public space known as Schuyler Square. This acquisition aimed to provide a modest green area amid the growing urban neighborhood, enhancing public access to open space in the former Bloomingdale district. The 0.07-acre site, previously part of undeveloped land tied to early colonial history, was set aside specifically for civic use as a neighborhood . By 1907, the park was renamed Bloomingdale Square to honor the historic Bloomingdale Road, an early colonial route that traversed the area and lent its name to the surrounding district. This change reflected efforts to preserve local historical nomenclature amid the neighborhood's rapid development in the early . The renaming underscored the site's connection to the Bloomingdale area's evolution from rural outskirts to a bustling urban enclave. Upon acquisition, the square underwent initial to transform the unimproved into a functional , featuring basic plantings, pathways, and seating to serve as a respite for residents at this busy . These early improvements emphasized simple, practical design suitable for a compact triangular space, prioritizing accessibility and greenery over elaborate features. The purpose remained focused on providing a communal gathering spot in an increasingly densified .

Memorial Dedication

In the aftermath of the Titanic disaster, the New York City Board of Aldermen renamed Bloomingdale Square as Straus Park on July 2, 1912, to honor Isidor and Ida Straus, prominent residents of the Upper West Side who perished in the tragedy. Isidor Straus, born on February 6, 1845, in Otterberg, Rhenish Bavaria, Germany, immigrated to the United States with his family in 1854 and later became a co-owner of R.H. Macy & Co. as well as a U.S. Congressman representing New York from 1894 to 1895. His wife, Ida Straus (née Rosalie Ida Blün), was born on February 6, 1849, in Worms, Germany, and the couple resided in a frame house at 2747 Broadway, near 105th Street, just one block south of the park. On April 15, 1912, during the sinking of the RMS Titanic on its maiden voyage, Isidor and Ida Straus died together after Ida famously refused to board a lifeboat without her husband, an act of devotion that resonated deeply with the public. The Straus Memorial within the park was dedicated on April 15, 1915—exactly three years after the disaster—in a funded entirely by public subscription, which raised $20,000 for the project. The monument's creation was led by sculptor Augustus Lukeman and architect Evarts Tracy, whose collaboration transformed the small triangular park into a lasting tribute to the couple's legacy.

Modern Renovations

In the mid-1990s, Straus Park underwent a significant renovation and expansion project from 1995 to 1997, which enlarged the space westward by incorporating 15 feet from the adjacent West End Avenue bed. This $800,000 initiative, funded through an endowment established by the Straus family, addressed years of neglect and aimed to enhance the park's usability and aesthetic appeal. Key improvements during this period included the installation of new benches, upgraded lighting fixtures, additional shrubs for landscaping, reinforced fencing, and refreshed paving throughout the area. A notable change involved transforming the original reflecting pool in front of the memorial sculpture from a water feature into a planting filled with flowers, better suited to maintenance needs and the park's intimate scale. These modifications preserved the site's historical elements while making it a more inviting green space for the community. The Friends of Straus Park, a volunteer-driven nonprofit founded in 1992 and officially appointed by Department of Parks & Recreation, has played a central role in the park's since the late . This group conducts ongoing to ensure cleanliness and security, organizes seasonal flower plantings to maintain vibrant displays, and advocates for preservation through community events and fundraising. Their efforts complement city resources, fostering active neighborhood involvement in sustaining the park's tranquility. Post-2012 updates have continued this tradition of care, highlighted by preparations for the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's sinking in 2012, which included special commemorative events at the park to honor the Straus legacy. More recently, in 2023, the Friends completed a volunteer-led restoration of all 48 benches using durable ipe wood treated with for longevity. As of 2024, plans encompassed renovating the park's metal fences and installing rat-resistant trash cans to further improve hygiene and accessibility.

Description

Location and Layout

Straus Park is situated at the intersection of Broadway, West End Avenue, and West 106th Street in Manhattan's . Its geographic coordinates are 40°48′06.5″N 73°58′05.5″W. The park comprises a small triangular plot of land spanning approximately 0.07 acres, bounded by these three busy avenues that form its perimeter. This compact layout positions it as a pocket green space amid urban traffic flow. Straus Park lies within the neighborhood, historically associated with the Bloomingdale District. It is surrounded by residential buildings, including pre-war apartments and condominiums, and benefits from proximity to subway lines, such as the 1 train at nearby 103rd Street and 110th Street stations.

Landscape and Amenities

Straus Park encompasses a compact triangular area featuring a grove of ginkgo trees that offer seasonal shade and striking golden foliage in autumn. Surrounding these trees are three-season flower plantings, including vibrant beds of tulips, daffodils, and other perennials, meticulously maintained by the nonprofit Friends of Straus Park through volunteer efforts and community donations. Additional landscaping elements include low shrubs and brick paving that define the park's pathways, creating a serene green oasis amid the surrounding urban density. Visitor amenities emphasize rest and accessibility, with several fine-wood benches positioned for relaxation and along the pathways. Ornamental encloses the for safety, while period-style lighting illuminates the area during evening hours, enhancing its usability after dark. A central adds a gentle water feature, contributing to the park's tranquil ambiance. Historically, the park included a decorative trough installed by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) at its north end from 1907 until its removal shortly before , intended as a watering station for horses. As a classic , Straus Park serves as a vital respite for pedestrians navigating the busy intersection of Broadway, West End Avenue, and 106th Street, providing brief moments of calm in the heart of Manhattan's . The 1995–1997 renovation introduced many of these modern elements, including additional benches and improved paving, to better accommodate daily visitors.

The Straus Memorial

Design and Creation

The Straus Memorial's bronze statue was sculpted in 1913 by Augustus Lukeman, a prominent American known for his public monuments. The figure depicts a reclining representing , seated and gazing contemplatively over a calm pool; it measures approximately 3 feet high by 7 feet wide and was modeled after the renowned artist's muse, . Architect Evarts Tracy designed the memorial's integration into the park landscape, featuring the bronze figure mounted on a stone pedestal atop a base that originally served as a . The overall structure includes a curved exedra, approximately 15 feet wide, which frames the central and enhances its prominence within the small triangular park. Funding for the memorial, totaling $20,000, was raised entirely through public subscriptions in the aftermath of the Titanic disaster, reflecting widespread admiration for the Strauses' story. A bronze plaque on the monument notes that it was "ERECTED BY VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE PEOPLE A.D. MCMXV." The completed work was dedicated on April 15, 1915, three years after the tragedy.

Symbolism and Inscription

The central bronze figure in the Straus Memorial, known as "," embodies the themes of remembrance and tranquility, depicting a reclining in contemplative repose, her gaze directed toward what was originally a (now a flowerbed) that evokes peaceful reflection on loss and . This symbolism directly alludes to Ida Straus's profound devotion to her husband Isidor during the Titanic disaster on April 15, 1912, when she chose to remain by his side rather than board a lifeboat, illustrating an inseparable bond in the face of tragedy. The nymph's serene posture and the memorial's overall design thus serve as emblems of quiet mourning for the couple's story of love and sacrifice amid the ship's sinking, which claimed over 1,500 lives. The primary inscription on the rear exedra of the granite bench reinforces this theme, quoting Second Samuel 1:23: "Lovely and pleasant were they in their lives and in their death they were not divided." This biblical passage, selected to honor the Strauses' unity, is preceded by a dedicatory line: "In memory of Isidor and who were lost at sea in the Titanic disaster April 15, 1912." The text underscores the memorial's focus on their shared fate, transforming personal tragedy into a broader symbol of marital and human resilience.

Cultural Significance

Commemorations and Events

Straus Park serves as a focal point for annual commemorations of the Titanic disaster, particularly honoring Isidor and , with events typically held around April 15, the date of the ship's sinking in 1912. These gatherings often include speeches, wreath-layings, and tributes led by organizations such as the Friends of Straus Park and the Straus Historical Society. A notable example was the 100th anniversary event on April 15, 2012, organized jointly by Landmark West and the Friends of Straus Park, which featured a at 3:30 p.m. with speeches by descendants, including great-great-grandson Brett Gladstone, and community members placing flowers and candles around the memorial statue to symbolize remembrance and loss. Similar annual observances continued, such as the 112th anniversary event on April 14, 2024, hosted by the Friends of Straus Park, which combined Titanic tributes with announcements about park enhancements and drew local residents for reflection, and the 113th anniversary event on April 26, 2025, organized by the Straus Historical Society and Friends of Straus Park. The Friends of Straus Park, a volunteer conservancy founded in 1992, organizes ongoing community events that foster public engagement, including seasonal plantings of flowers across three seasons—spring tulips, summer roses, and fall displays—maintained by horticulturists and volunteers to beautify the space and honor its memorial purpose. These efforts support public gatherings like music concerts and exhibitions, such as the August 2024 soprano performance attended by over 125 people, which encourage neighborhood socialization amid the park's greenery. Since the park's dedication in , it has played a role in post-Titanic remembrance activities and neighborhood history walks on the , where locals and tour groups visit the site to reflect on the Strauses' story and the broader maritime tragedy, integrating it into educational narratives about early 20th-century New York. The Straus Memorial, symbolizing the enduring romance of Isidor and who perished together on the RMS Titanic, has inspired numerous depictions in Titanic-related films and books, often highlighting themes of loyalty and sacrifice in disaster narratives. In the 1953 film Titanic, directed by , the couple is directly portrayed by Roy Gordon and Helen Van Tuyl, emphasizing Ida's refusal to board a lifeboat without her husband. Similarly, the 1958 film A Night to Remember, directed by , features their story as a poignant example of marital devotion amid the sinking. The narrative's romantic symbolism extends to James Cameron's 1997 Titanic, where an elderly couple embracing in their cabin as water rises draws clear inspiration from the Strauses, reinforcing the memorial's cultural resonance as a beacon of tragic love. In local cultural references, particularly within histories and biographies of —the artist's model who posed for the memorial's bronze statue—Straus Park is frequently cited as a key site preserving her legacy in New York City's public art. Munson's graceful figure in the sculpture, known as , is discussed in accounts of her life as an emblem of early 20th-century Beaux-Arts aesthetics and her influence on American sculpture, appearing in works like James Bone's 2016 biography The Curse of Beauty: The Scandalous & Tragic Life of , America's First Supermodel. These references underscore the park's role in narratives of artistic ambition and historical tragedy on Manhattan's west side. Straus Park has also appeared as a fictional setting in post-1915 literature, evoking introspection and urban solitude. In Aciman's 2011 novel Eight White Nights, the park serves as a nocturnal backdrop for the protagonist's romantic reveries, capturing its quiet allure near Broadway. Paul Baeten Gronda's 2013 novel Straus Park draws its title from the location, weaving a cosmopolitan tale of , fate, and revenge set against its memorial landscape. Additionally, Adam Langer's 2008 novel Ellington Boulevard: A Novel in A-Flat incorporates the park into depictions of community life and personal reflection.

References

  1. https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/straus-park/
  2. https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/straus-park/history
  3. https://theclio.com/entry/1002
  4. https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/straus-park/monuments/1510
  5. https://fospark.com/about/
  6. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=242785
  7. https://www.upperwestsidehistory.org/blogs/bloomingdale-before-the-road
  8. https://bloomingdalehistory.com/2021/03/30/bloomingdale-colonial-times-and-after-the-revolutionary-war/
  9. http://www.columbia.edu/~hauben/RNA-House/history/Session45-bloomingale-tice-text.pdf
  10. https://bloomingdalehistory.com/2013/05/31/neighborhood-nomenclature-6/
  11. https://harlem350.commons.gc.cuny.edu/harlem-and-the-revolutionary-war/
  12. https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20120501/upper-west-side-morningside-heights/from-bloomingdale-soha-one-uws-neighborhoods-quest-for-name
  13. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=242809
  14. http://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2011/09/isidor-and-ida-straus-memorial-memory.html
  15. https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/S001000
  16. https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-victim/ida-straus.html
  17. https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-victim/isidor-straus.html
  18. https://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_newsroom/daily_plants/daily_plant_main.php?id=23359
  19. https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/straus-park/monuments
  20. https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/straus-park/pressrelease/21070
  21. https://fospark.com/
  22. https://fospark.com/2024/11/14/history-7-2/
  23. https://www.ilovetheupperwestside.com/friends-of-straus-park-clean-up-restore-benches/
  24. https://www.ilovetheupperwestside.com/straus-park-hosts-event-to-highlight-new-renovations-commemorate-titanic-sinking-and-straus-family/
  25. https://livingnewdeal.org/sites/straus-memorial-new-york-ny/
  26. https://diannedurantewriter.com/straus-memorial
  27. https://culturenow.org/site/straus-memorial
  28. https://www.city-journal.org/article/the-mystic-chords-of-memory
  29. https://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/2012-events.html
  30. https://www.westsiderag.com/2012/04/15/great-great-grandson-of-famous-titanic-victims-visits-upper-west-side-memorial-on-100th-anniversary
  31. https://www.thevintagenews.com/2022/02/14/ida-isidor-straus/
  32. https://www.facebook.com/StrausHistoricalSociety/posts/event-rescheduledjoin-us-at-straus-park-on-april-26-from-12-3pm-for-an-event-to-/1082836830543144/
  33. https://www.scoutingny.com/the-titanic-guide-to-new-york-city-from-scouting-ny-part-1/
  34. https://www.businessinsider.com/meet-isidor-and-ida-straus-the-old-couple-in-titanic-2023-4
  35. https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2016/04/americas-first-supermodel-audrey-munson
  36. https://www.upperwestsidehistory.org/blogs/the-rise-and-tragic-fall-of-a-model-who-broke-the-rules
  37. https://www.ronslate.com/on-eight-white-nights-a-novel-by-andre-aciman-farrar-straus-and-giroux/
  38. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18000399-straus-park
  39. https://fictionwritersreview.com/review/ellington-boulevard-a-novel-in-a-flat-by-adam-langer/
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