Erected in 1892, the marble Washington Memorial Arch designed by Stanford White. By the year 2000, air pollution had severely eroded parts of the statue of Washington on the arch to the extent that it appeared he had smallpox. An extensive renovation was undertaken, and the arch again has been restored to its former glory. Driving or walking down lower Fifth Avenue, you can't help but be captivated by this monumental entrance to the park and its towering symbolism as the gateway to this great avenue.