Eternal Light Flagstaff

The Eternal Light Flagstaff honors the victorious forces of the United States Army and Navy who were officially received at this site after the armistice and the end of World War I. Commissioned by Rodman Wanamaker at a cost of $25,000, the monument has a massive stepped ornamental pedestal of Milford pink granite inscribed with dedicatory tributes to those who served their country in World War I and with the names of significant battle sites. It was designed by Thomas Hastings (1860-1929), of the architectural firm Carrere and Hastings, which was responsible for many notable buildings including the New York Public Library, and its decorative bronze cap with garlands and rams heads was sculpted by Paul Wayland Bartlett (1865-1925). At the top of the pole is a star-shaped luminaire intended to remain lit at all times as an eternal tribute to those who paid the supreme sacrifice. Dedicated on Armistice Day, November 11, 1923, it also serves each year as the place where the annual Veterans Day parade concludes and official ceremonies are held.

New York, New York · United States