Mayor Stewart Memorial Flagpole

The Memorial Flagpole Garden was dedicated in 1927 in honor and recognition of Mayor Edwin Stewart’s efforts to create Ithaca’s first public lakefront park. Renwick Park was renamed Stewart Park for Mayor Stewart, who led the charge to open a park for the people, but died just a month before the park’s grand opening on July 4, 1921. Stewart left $150,000 (equivalent to over $2 million today!) to ensure the park’s opening and restoration.

In the 1980s the garden was renovated, but ultimately fell into disrepair. In 2011 and 2012, Friends of Stewart Park, with the help of community volunteer initiatives, restored the flagpole to its historic design, and new plantings were installed a year later.