Clinton Square is an intersection in downtown Syracuse, New York, United States. The square was the original town center and first came into existence in the early 19th century where roadways from north and south convened. With the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 the intersection was further transformed. During the 19th century, the square was a marketplace that also hosted several public events, including an 1870 public barbecue reportedly attended by 20,000 people. As a busy intersection, the square hosted several large hotels and other historic buildings. The Soldiers and Sailors Monument was dedicated in the square in 1911. In 1917 the Canal was closed and filled in. In the decades that followed, Clinton Square was redeveloped into a park that holds various annual festivals. Since the 1990s, the square has held an ice skating rink in the winter. A major 2001 redevelopment project saw a larger fountain implemented. Clinton Square is also the site of Syracuse's municipal Christmas tree and menorah during the holiday season. The modern era has seen a number of festivals take place in the square, beginning with the 1991 Jazz Fest. Description Clinton Square itself holds a large fountain, the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, a monument to the Jerry Rescue, and an information kiosk. The square is near Hanover Square. The Soldiers and Sailors Monument was dedicated in 1911. The monument consists of a square granite pylon with attached Roman Ionic columns at its corners, crowned by a globe supported by four eagles. This is set atop a plinth, and a stepped plaza with corner piers supporting bronze lampposts. All four sides of the monument have different sculptures on it. The monument is approximately 75 ft (22.86 m) tall. The Jerry Rescue monument depicts Jerry, a recently freed slave, in broken chains, being aided by Jermain Wesley Loguen and Samuel Joseph May. It was dedicated in 1990. Historic buildings The buildings around the square have historically been prominent in Syracuse. However, many have burnt down, with fires in 1834, 1856, 1881, 1896, and 1943. The 1881 fire consumed the Wieting Opera House, which The New York Times described as "one of the finest structures here [in Syracuse], and containing one of the handsomest theatres in the State". The Empire House hotel burnt down in 1943. Other relatively well-known buildings that have been taken down in the square's vicinity include the Clinton Block, Hotel