Irving Square Park

Beneath the rustling leaves of Irving Square Park’s trees, a secret history sleeps. Irving Square Park, a tranquil oasis amidst the vibrant energy of New York City, holds more than just green space and playground laughter. It whispers tales of a literary giant, a cunning publicist, and a historical inaccuracy that has charmed its way into the city’s lore. Samuel B. Ruggles, the visionary behind Gramercy Park and Union Square, also gifted us Irving Place and, by extension, Irving Square Park. He named it for his friend, Washington Irving, the celebrated author of “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” Yet, the charming two-story red brick house at 49 Irving Place, often dubbed the “Irving House,” never knew the writer’s presence. Irving, busy serving as a minister to Spain during the house’s construction in 1844, likely never even set foot in the neighborhood. The myth took root around 1897, thanks to the savvy Elsie de Wolfe, an actress turned interior decorator, who resided in the house. A New York Times article, possibly a publicity stunt for de Wolfe’s burgeoning career, spun a tale of Irving meticulously designing his dream home. The truth? The house was occupied by various families before de Wolfe, including insurance executives and bankers. Despite a letter to the editor in 1927 debunking the myth, the story stuck. A bronze plaque erected in 1934, sculpted by Alexander Finta, solidified the “Irving House” in the city’s imagination. Today, Irving Square Park thrives, a testament to Ruggles’s vision and a curious footnote in literary history. It’s a place where you can enjoy the shade of trees planted long after Irving’s time, perhaps unaware of the whispers of a story that’s both true and untrue, a story that adds a touch of magic to this corner of New York City.