Why Oh Why Oh…

East Village artists are fond of creating artworks that are hidden in place sight, like this miniature tribute to the state of Ohio, that I saw the other day:

Ohio.

East Villagers never forget their midwestern roots!

#eastvillage #ohio #midwesternroots #sidewalks

Samuel Sullivan Cox Sign Returns

When I first saw the Samuel Sullivan Cox sign beside the Samuel Sullivan Cox statue on the southeast corner of Tompkins Square Park this past Saturday, I thought it was new.

New sign?

As you can see from the date, however, the sign is from May 2014!

May 2014.

By my photo records, as early as September 2014, this sign was not here. There's no telling why it was removed, or why it took so long to return — but it's back, that's all that matters!

It sure is long in its description, no? Compare that to the sign describing the Harry Greenberg, Park Supervisor tree, along the East 9th Street corridor:

Harry Greenberg, Park Supervisor sign.

There can only be one explanation: like all the best East Villagers, Samuel Sullivan Cox was from Ohio!

#eastvillage #harrygreenberg #ohio #ohioans #samuelsullivancox #signs #statues #tompkinssquarepark

Cicadamania

This is the year of the 17-year cicadas!

Unfortunately, the East Village is not part of the area where they will be, as you can see from this map:

This map.

There is only one spot on eastern Long Island where they are. Otherwise, they're all in Ohio and West Virginia, except…

You had to know that East Village cicadas didn't read the memo!

I was walking across East 10th Street this past Tuesday, at the top of Tompkins Square Park, when I heard the din of cicadas:

Din of cicadas.

You can't see them, but they're there!

Cicadas: in Ohio, West Virginia, one spot on Long Island, and… in the East Village Today!

#eastvillage #10thstreet #cicadas #longisland #ohio #tompkinssquarepark #westvirginia

Samuel Sullivan Cox – The Letter Carrier's Friend

Of all the places people come to the East Village from, Ohio is probably the best known and best loved. I could easily devote an entire blog to notable East Village Ohioans! (Maybe Ohioans are why the East Village is so cool?!)

One such Ohioan is Samuel Sullivan Cox, born in Zanesville (population: 25,435 — Saaa-lute!)

Cox was known as "the letter carrier's friend", because of his support for paid benefits and a 40-hour work week for U.S. Post Office employees. In gratitude, postal workers raised $10,000 in 1891 to erect a statue to Cox in Tompkins Square Park!

This is that statue:

Statue.

Here is the plaque, on the plinth:

Plaque, on the plinth.

Samuel Sullivan Cox… Saaa-lute!

#eastvillage #samuelsullivancox #statues #tompkinssquarepark #ohio #ohioans #lettercarriers