Carl Schurz was a native of Cologne, Germany, who emigrated to the United States in 1852 where he became a political statesman and served in the Cabinet of President Rutherford Hayes.
In the United States, he qualified as a lawyer, served as a General in the American Civil War, represented Missouri in the United States Senate and was the 13th United States Secretary of the Interior. In 1881, he moved to New York City and was editor of the New York Evening Post for a short time.
Carl Schurz Park in Yorkville on Manhattan’s Upper East Side was named in his honor in 1910. The park is home to Gracie Mansion, the official residence of the Mayor of New York City.
