Mother Goose
The sculpture Mother Goose stands at the eastern entrance to Rumsey Playfield. Made of carved granite, the playful sculpture depicts Mother Goose and several other figures from her nursery rhymes: Humpty Dumpty, Old King Cole, Little Jack Homer, Mother Hubbard, and Mary and Her Little Lamb.
Mother Goose was dedicated in 1938, when Rumsey Playfield opened. The playground was one of many opened during the administration of Robert Moses who aimed to create new facilities for active play and amenities for children in the Park.
Mother Goose was made by the American sculptor Frederick Roth. He was the head sculptor for New York’s Parks Department from 1934 to 1936 and is the most represented artist in the Park. His works include the popular memorial Balto, Honey Bear and Dancing Goat at the Zoo, and the Sophie Loeb Fountain at Michael James Levin Playground.
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