Here I am at Madison Square Park in front of the statue of Chester Alan Arthur - a not often thought of president of the United states - but he was the 21st president, sworn in on September 21st 1881 and here it is May 21st so let’s discuss why this statue is here. Why is the statue of Chester Alan Arthur here in Madison Square Park? It turns out he was sworn in as the 21st president at midnight on September 21st 1881 after James A. Garfield (who went to my alma mater Williams College) had passed away.
James A. Garfield, if you may remember, was assassinated on July 2nd, 1881 and was hospitalized immediately. He ultimately died two months later of a staff infection on September 20th 1881. When he died suddenly Chester Alan Arthur, then the vice president at the time, was living close by at 123 Lexington Avenue in a townhouse. It’s quite remarkable that here was the future president of the country living in New York City just blocks away from Madison Square Park. 123 Lexington Avenue is now the home to one of the best spice stores in the entire city if not the world called Kalustyan’s.
I was just discussing Kalustyan’s with my client yesterday. Actually, Kalustyan’s at 123 Lexington Avenue is definitely worth checking our if you like your Middle Eastern spices, Indian and otherwise. This is where his home was and there is actually a small plaque honoring the spot. If you happen to go there, you have to look kind of carefully for it but that was his townhouse and that's why the statue of Chester Alan Arthur is here in Madison Square Park in glorious New York City. He is in good company with his fellow contemporaries Roscoe Conkling and William Seward who are commemorated at the Southern end of this park.