Greely Square, ca. 1898.

Greely Square Park was named after the celebrated editor and political leader Horace Greeley (1811-1872). Greely launched the New York Tribune in 1841 as a rival to the Herald’s newspaper. The two papers eventually merged to form the New York Herald Tribune. From its pages, he had an enormous influence on American popular opinion. Greeley’s famous advice, “Go West, young man, go West,” inspired generations of Americans to find their fortunes beyond the Mississippi. He advocated protectionism, abolitionism, labor rights, and political reform. Greeley later ran for President in 1872.