Statue of George Davis, (sculpture).

Statue of George Davis, (sculpture).

Packer, Francis Herman, 1873-1957, sculptor.

Gorham Manufacturing Company, founder.

Statue of George Davis, (sculpture).

1910. Dedicated April 20, 1911. Removed June 25, 2020.

Digital Reference:

Sculpture: bronze, possibly painted; Base: appears to be granite and metal.

Sculpture: approx. 7 ft. 6 in. x 5 ft. 8 in. x 4 ft. 8 in.; Base: approx. H. 5 ft. 11 in. x W. 7 ft. 4 in.

Gorham Co. Founders (On pedestal next to figure, proper left rear:) FH Packer Sc MDMX (On front of base:) GEORGE DAVIS/SENATOR AND ATTORNEY GENERAL/OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA/1820-1896 (On rear of base:) HIS WISDOM ILLUSTRATED THE/PRINCIPLES OF LAW AND EQUITY./HIS ELOQUENCE COMMANDED/THE ADMIRATION OF HIS PEERS./BELOVED FOR HIS STAINLESS/INTEGRITY, HIS MEMORY DWELLS/IN THE HEARTS OF HIS PEOPLE./SHINING IN THE PURE EXCELLENCE/OF VIRTUE AND REFINEMENT./HE EXEMPLIFIED, WITH DIGNITY/AND SIMPLICITY, WITH GENTLE/COURTESY AND CHRISTIAN FAITH./THE TRUE HEART OF CHIVALRY/IN SOUTHERN MANHOOD. signed Founder's mark appears.

George Davis stands with his proper right arm extended outward, with fingers curled downward. His proper left hand rests on a pedestal at his side. A great coat is draped over two books which are stacked on the pedestal. He is dressed in a vest and thigh-length jacket. The sculpture rests atop a slightly tapered block base with a bottom step on top of a slab foundation. Around the top of the base is a decorative border. Around the bottom step is fasces trim. On the front of the base are two, gold-colored, metal relief medallions. The medallion on the left bears the North Carolina State seal. The medallion on the right depicts a man on horseback in proper left profile.

Portrait male -- Davis, George -- Full length

Occupation -- Political -- Senator

Occupation -- Law -- Lawyer

Occupation -- Political -- Attorney General

Dress -- Historic -- Nineteenth Century Dress

Architecture -- Detail -- Pedestal

Object -- Written Matter -- Book

History -- United States -- Civil War

Administered by City of Wilmington, Public Services & Facilities, 302 Willard Street, Wilmington, North Carolina 28401

Formerly located Center of Market Street at 3rd Street, Wilmington, North Carolina April 20, 1911-June 25, 2020.

The sculpture honors George Davis, who served as a United States Senator before being named Attorney General of the Confederate States of America. Davis was born in 1820. He died in 1896. The sculpture was installed by the Cape Fear Chapter No. 3 of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. They were assisted by Mr. James Sprunt. On October 14, 1909 the cornerstone was laid for the sculpture, which was dedicated in 1911. In November of 1987, the sculpture was cleaned by Ad Van Der Stakk of Troy, North Carolina. The George Davis Camp No. 5 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans in Wilmington paid for the cleaning. IAS files contain a related excerpt from Tony P. Wrenn's "Wilmington, North Carolina: An Architectural and Historical Portrait," 1984, pg. 203-204. IAS files contain related articles from the Wilmington Morning Star, April 21, 1911; March 22, 1973; and Nov. 10, 1987, pg. 1A.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, North Carolina survey, 1994.

Wrenn, Tony P., "Wilmington, North Carolina: An Architectural and Historical Portrait," Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 1984, pg. 203.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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