NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH)– One of the iconic images of New Haven is the archway that gets you into Wooster Street. News 8 spoke with the man who made that possible, local artist Gar Waterman. Here’s what he had to say about his creation:
“I’ve been in New Haven for almost 19 years now,” Waterman said. “I’m a sculptor, and in the late 90’s, I was approached to design the arch of Wooster Street. The neighborhood wanted something to differentiate it from the rest of New Haven. They wanted an entryway, a gateway.
“I looked to the cherry trees in the adjacent park, and came up with the overall design for the arch. The flowering trees there have long been a great part of that whole Worcester Square area.More Italian in Connecticut:
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“I love trees, so when this initial concept came up, I thought it would be a good motif to use. The ‘Little Italy’ part of the sign wasn’t part of the original design. It was added due to some local desires.
“It was a great honor for me to be able to work on something that has become part of the fabric of the city.”
