Eager to find eagle

January 2, 2011 4:22 PM

Longshot NYC History Filter: Where is the third "old Penn Station eagle?"

Ok, so I'm a nerd. I know. But I'm interested.

One of the eagle statues that once adorned the top of the old Penn Station was rescued and placed in a courtyard at Cooper Union, on 3rd Ave. and St Marks in the East Village. The other surviving two, which have stayed in the city, are outside Madison Square Garden.

Eagle number three seems to be gone. I know, because I found the exact location from the Gothamist link (verified by other sources)... but there was no eagle. Must have been moved.

Does anyone know where it went? The Internet is failing me.

posted by functionequalsform to Society & Culture (4 answers total)

Best answer: Do you mean where is the Cooper Union eagle? I was a little confused by the wording of your question.

Googling for Cooper Union eagle turns up this newsletter from summer 2009 with cool pix of the removal and this text:


"Cooper Union Eagle Takes Flight!
The three-ton historic marble Eagle, a longtime resident and namesake of Cooper Union’s Eagle Garden, moved this summer to a new roost on the Green Roof of 41 Cooper Square. "
posted by CunningLinguist at 4:35 PM on January 2, 2011

Best answer: and there is nothing nerdy about loving NYC's architectural history!
posted by CunningLinguist at 4:36 PM on January 2, 2011

Response by poster: Wow! That was fast. I evidently have no google-fu.

I wonder if they'd let me up to see it. I'll have to ask. A hobby of mine is taking photos of bits of NYC history.

Thanks!
posted by functionequalsform at 4:46 PM on January 2, 2011

There were more than three eagles originally. Here's the full list, and where they ended up.
posted by nebulawindphone at 6:29 AM on January 3, 2011