The statue was first exhibited at the New York Worlds Fair in 1939. Then, also in 1939 Averell Harriman (whom Davidson had already done a bust of) suggested to Davidson that the work be placed in the Bear Mountain State Park. Whitman inspected the site, found it acceptable and the statue was placed there. At the statue’s unveiling New York Park Commissioner Robert Moses quipped, "I am not sure if this is a statue of Walt Whitman by Jo Davidson or a statue of Jo Davidson by Walt Whitman."