The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch in Bushnell Park, Hartford, Connecticut, honors the 4,000 Hartford citizens who served in the American Civil War, including 400 who died for the Union cause. It is notable as the first permanent triumphal arch to be built in America.
Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch, south facePhotochrom of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch ca. 1905
The arch's conception dates from October 21, 1879, when a committee formed to sponsor a competition (held in 1881). The committee declined to approve any of the winning schemes and in 1884 awarded the commission to the Hartford based architect George Keller. He produced an eclectic design with two Norman towers flanking a Gothic arch, decorated with a classical frieze, embellished with statues modeled by the Swiss-born sculptor Albert Entress (1846-1926). The arch, built with brownstone from Portland, Connecticut, was completed in 1886 at a cost of about $60,000, and dedicated on September 17, 1886.
The north frieze, by Samuel James Kitson, tells a story of war with (on the right) a figure of General Ulysses S. Grant surveying his troops and (on the left) marines leaping from a boat to rush Confederate troops. The south frieze, by Caspar Buberl, tells a story of peace. The central female allegorical figure represents the City of Hartford, surrounded by her citizens welcoming their soldiers home. The Boston Terra Cotta Company fabricated the frieze.
The four military services are symbolized in the spandrels: an anchor for the Navy; a crossed cannon for the Artillery; crossed sabers for the Cavalry; and crossed rifles for the Infantry. Six sculptural figures, each eight feet tall, adorn the towers: farmer, blacksmith, mason, student, carpenter and an African-American breaking his chains of bondage. Angels in the form of finials cap the towers, one a trumpeter, the other a cymbalist, both facing south to welcome the returning troops.[1] During the restoration of 1986–1988, the original terra cotta angels were removed and replaced with copies in bronze.
The ashes of architect Keller and his wife Mary are interred in the memorial.
InscriptionsEdit
A tablet on the southeast tower is inscribed:
IN HONOR OF THE MEN OF HARTFORD WHO SERVED AND IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO FELL ON LAND AND ON SEA IN THE WAR FOR THE UNION THEIR GRATEFUL TOWNSMEN HAVE RAISED THIS MEMORIAL
The southwest tablet is inscribed:
DURING THE CIVIL WAR 1861–1865 MORE THAN 4,000 MEN OF HARTFORD BORE ARMS IN THE NATIONAL CAUSE NEARLY 400 OF WHOM DIED IN THE SERVICE ERECTED 1885 GEORGE KELLER, ARCHITECT CASPER BUBERL & SAMUEL KITSON SCULPTORS BOSTON TERRA COTTA CO
soldiers, sailors, memorial, arch, bushnell, park, hartford, connecticut, honors, hartford, citizens, served, american, civil, including, died, union, cause, notable, first, permanent, triumphal, arch, built, america, south, facephotochrom, 1905for, other, mon. The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch in Bushnell Park Hartford Connecticut honors the 4 000 Hartford citizens who served in the American Civil War including 400 who died for the Union cause It is notable as the first permanent triumphal arch to be built in America Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch south facePhotochrom of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch ca 1905For other monuments with the same name see Soldiers and Sailors Monument Contents 1 History 2 Inscriptions 3 Gallery 4 ReferencesHistory EditThe arch s conception dates from October 21 1879 when a committee formed to sponsor a competition held in 1881 The committee declined to approve any of the winning schemes and in 1884 awarded the commission to the Hartford based architect George Keller He produced an eclectic design with two Norman towers flanking a Gothic arch decorated with a classical frieze embellished with statues modeled by the Swiss born sculptor Albert Entress 1846 1926 The arch built with brownstone from Portland Connecticut was completed in 1886 at a cost of about 60 000 and dedicated on September 17 1886 The north frieze by Samuel James Kitson tells a story of war with on the right a figure of General Ulysses S Grant surveying his troops and on the left marines leaping from a boat to rush Confederate troops The south frieze by Caspar Buberl tells a story of peace The central female allegorical figure represents the City of Hartford surrounded by her citizens welcoming their soldiers home The Boston Terra Cotta Company fabricated the frieze The four military services are symbolized in the spandrels an anchor for the Navy a crossed cannon for the Artillery crossed sabers for the Cavalry and crossed rifles for the Infantry Six sculptural figures each eight feet tall adorn the towers farmer blacksmith mason student carpenter and an African American breaking his chains of bondage Angels in the form of finials cap the towers one a trumpeter the other a cymbalist both facing south to welcome the returning troops 1 During the restoration of 1986 1988 the original terra cotta angels were removed and replaced with copies in bronze The ashes of architect Keller and his wife Mary are interred in the memorial Inscriptions EditA tablet on the southeast tower is inscribed IN HONOROF THE MEN OF HARTFORDWHO SERVEDAND IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO FELLON LAND AND ON SEAIN THE WAR FOR THE UNIONTHEIR GRATEFUL TOWNSMENHAVE RAISED THIS MEMORIAL The southwest tablet is inscribed DURING THE CIVIL WAR1861 1865MORE THAN 4 000 MEN OF HARTFORDBORE ARMS IN THE NATIONAL CAUSENEARLY 400 OF WHOMDIED IN THE SERVICEERECTED 1885GEORGE KELLER ARCHITECTCASPER BUBERL amp SAMUEL KITSON SCULPTORSBOSTONTERRA COTTA COGallery Edit North frieze South frieze The Mason The Carpenter The Blacksmith The FarmerReferences Edit Hartford Courant September 18 1866 page 1 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch sculpture Art Inventories Catalog Smithsonian American Art Museum Smithsonian Institution Bushnell Park Foundation41 45 56 N 72 40 48 W 41 76566 N 72 68000 W 41 76566 72 68000 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch amp oldid 1031520186, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
