Norman Rockwell Place

in

Norman Rockwell Place
Amsterdam Avenue and West 103rd Street
 

Street sign 103rd and Amsterdam

 

A group of High School juniors and seniors from the Edward A. Reynolds West Side High School took an idea they came up with in their civics class to the City Council. In commemoration of Norman Rockwell’s early years living in their neighborhood on the Upper West Side, the students conducted a yearlong campaign to have the southeast corner of Amsterdam and 103rd Street renamed “Norman Rockwell Place”. Their persistence will finally pay off this Thursday the 9th of June when a street naming ceremony will take place, in which the new street sign will be affixed.

Students and faculty from Edward A. Reynolds West Side High School outside Norman Rockwell’s studio, during a recent visit to Norman Rockwell Museum. Photo ©Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

Students and faculty from Edward A. Reynolds West Side High School outside Norman Rockwell’s studio, during a recent visit to Norman Rockwell Museum. Photo ©Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

Norman Rockwell was born on February 3, 1894 in a brownstone at 206 West 103rd Street (the building is no longer there) where he lived until he was two years old. His family then moved to Harlem and later in life, he resided at the Hotel des Artistes at 1 West 67th Street and Central Park West. Most people are familiar with Rockwell’s illustrations of small town America, many of which he painted for the covers of the Saturday Evening Post, creating images for 321 issues over a 47 year period. But some of his most important work came after he ended his relationship with the Post and began working for Look Magazine, turning his attention to some of the social issues facing the country in the 60’s, such as poverty, racial discrimination and the Vietnam War.

Here is a link with the details of the sign unveiling on June 9th http://www.nrm.org/2016/06/norman-rockwell-place-unveiled-special-ceremony-new-york-city-june-9/

For a real treat, visit the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge Massachusetts. Here you will find a fantastic collection of his original paintings. The Museum is open year round and studio visits are available from May to November.

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