Editing Five Public Squares (section)

== Washington Square ==

[[Washington Square West|Washington Square]], originally Southeast Square, occupies a location with somber historical significance. During the Revolutionary War, the square served as a burial ground for soldiers who died in nearby military hospitals and prisoner-of-war camps. Estimates suggest that thousands of American and British soldiers lie buried beneath the square, making it one of the largest mass graves of Revolutionary War dead. The square was renamed for George Washington after his death in 1799, and a memorial to the Unknown Soldier of the American Revolution was dedicated in 1954, honoring the soldiers interred on the site.<ref name="nash">{{cite book |last=Nash |first=Gary B. |title=First City: Philadelphia and the Forging of Historical Memory |year=2002 |publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press |location=Philadelphia}}</ref>

Washington Square has undergone several redesigns since the colonial period. The current layout, dating to the mid-20th century renovation that added the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, features formal paths, a central monument, and shade trees that make the square a pleasant retreat from surrounding streets. The square is bounded by historic buildings including the Athenaeum of Philadelphia and Independence Hall lies just blocks to the east. The neighborhood surrounding Washington Square—known as Washington Square West or "Wash West"—is one of Center City's most diverse residential areas, home to a mix of longtime residents and newcomers attracted by proximity to Center City amenities.<ref name="gallery"/>