Union Square
Union Square is known for its constant movement above and below ground. From its extensive subway system guiding trains north and south bound to the slow hands of chess players moving their pawns, to the synchronized tambourine following Krishna music, there is always something happening in Union Square. What do trains, chess, and Krishna have in common? People. The people of New York City are what give Union Square its lively character. As people pass through, perform, protest, they are all adding to its rich history and culture.
Union Square was developed for the Commissioners’ Plan of 1811. This plan was the original grid design for the streets above Houston street and below 155th street we see today. During their preparation for this plan, they noticed that Bloomingdale Road (now Broadway) angled away from Bowery (now 4th Avenue) at an acute angle that would’ve made building there too difficult. Because of this, the Commissioners decided to form a square at the center as a public hub for the city and called it Union Place. Until that point, Union Square had been a Potter’s Field, a burial place for unidentified bodies. It took about eight years to transform and open to the public. Decades later Union Square became one of the most prestigious parks in the city for being in the vicinity of the original Broadway theater district known as The Rialto. Although Broadway is known to be by Times Square now, artists still perform by if not directly at Union Square. For example, a band called Abracadabra is known to make an appearance at Union Square and perform on top of their bus.
I had the opportunity to see this live and watch as they grabbed the attention of people rushing to the train or simply passing through. More specifically, I noticed that they had a committed audience that followed their performances. They dress in lively costumes and dance to the music adding more character to the band’s performance as a whole.
Art at Union Square doesn’t always take the common form of singing or dancing. They can also be performances dedicated to displaying a particular message in a different way. These art forms are too specific to generalize so I will be explaining one I witnessed this past weekend. By the steps of Union Square, there was a nude woman under a transparent poncho rubbing oil on her legs and arms. I found out from people on her team that she was part of an art exhibit that was having pop up shows around the city and this one dealt with owning and accepting one’s body. What I found the most interesting about this, was the fact that the people sitting next to her or around her didn’t think it was particularly odd. I think this occurs because people that are familiar with Union Square know that this is something that happens frequently and someone that may appear to be performing outside of the “ordinary” actually fits in just as much as the person sitting on the steps.
Union Square is also known for its involvement in social and political issues. The first time it served as a rallying spot was after the capture of Fort Sumter by Confederate Troops. That day, an enormous crowd known as the Great Sumter Rally formed in support of the Union. Union Square also hosted the first Labor Day celebration in September of 1882. To this day, Union Square still serves as a spot for crowds to gather and initiate protests around the city. Particularly within recent years, the political climate has sparked an increase in rallies and protests dedicated to the rights of marginalized communities. In most recent days, Kavanaugh’s trial brought crowds of New Yorkers to Union Square to speak upon their disgust and anger towards the situation regarding his confirmation to the Supreme Court.
Overall, Union Square is rooted in providing a space for people around the city to come together as well as for individuals to showcase their talents. Usually, there’s nothing that you can do in Union Square that would be considered out of the ordinary. I’ve seen a man hold an anaconda, a man in a diaper, a juggler, and more, and while I don’t see these things very often, they seem to fit in perfectly at Union
