The murals of Washington Irving High School

If you find yourself on 17th Street and Irving Place with time to spare, it’s worth taking a look inside gorgeous, gothic Washington Irving High School. The school, built in 1913, features an enormous, 2-story wood-paneled lobby, complete with a fireplace.

A series of giant murals toward the ceiling depict scenes from New York City history. Here, the Dutch approach Long Island and New York harbor:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not the kind of painting you see in the typical high school:

Manhattan wildlife, circa 1800: birds, porcupines, squirrels, beavers, and skunks:

Washington Irving High School’s most famous graduate: Claudette Colbert, class of 1923.

Tags: Claudette Colbert, Dutch landing in New York Harbor, Irving Place, New York history in paintings, Washington Irving High School