Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, (sculpture).

Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, (sculpture).

Gallagher, Edward, Jr., sculptor.

Plaschott, Henry F., sculptor.

Philippoteaux, Paul Dominique, b. 1846, painter. (copy after)

Martini, painter. (copy after)

Donovan, Bartholomew, sculptor.

Pennsylvania Monument Association, fabricator.

Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, (sculpture).

1899. Dedicated Oct. 19, 1899. Liberty replaced: 1964, rededicated May 30, 1964.

Digital Reference:

Sculpture: bronze, and painted or gilded cast iron; Base: Barre granite.

Overall: approx. 90.3 x 28 x 28 ft. (1,000 tons).

(On east side of base, raised lettering:) ONE FLAG, ONE COUNTRY (On plaque on east side of base, raised lettering:) THIS COLUMN COMMEMORATES THE/VALOR AND PATRIOTISM OF THE/SOLDIERS AND SAILORS OF THE/COUNTY OF LEHIGH IN THE/WAR OF 1861-65

The Goddess of Liberty, or Miss Columbia, stands atop tall shaft, holding a flag in her proper right hand and a torch of liberty in her proper left hand. The flagstaff is topped by an eagle with spread wings. Around the base of the shaft, on each side, are bronze portrait medallions of Pennsylvania generals. The generals depicted are Meade, McClellan, Hancock and Hartranft. The column is set upon a base with corners cut off to give an octagonal appearance. Eagles are mounted on top of each of the four corners. The west, north and south sides of the base contain bronze bas-relief panels depicting scenes related to the Civil War. One panel depicts a cavalry charge at Antietam copied after a painting by Martini. Another panel depicts Paul Dominique Philippoteaux's "Ovation of the North," showing the reply to Lincoln's call to arms. The third panel is taken from a photograph showing the bombardment of a fort by a navy frigate.

The base also contains cast iron figures mounted on projecting pedestals. The figures are painted a bronze color or gilded. The figure group titled, "One Flag, One Country," is mounted on a semi-circular projection on the east side of the base. An American flag is flanked by a Confederate and Union soldier. Single military figures are mounted on square projections at each corner. On the southwest corner is an artillery soldier holding a cannon swab with his proper left hand and a pistol in the other hand; on the northwest corner, a cavalryman is depicted drawing a sword; a sailor, on the southeast corner, stands holding a pair of binoculars with his proper left hand and a saber in his proper right hand; and an infantryman, on the northeast corner, stands holding a rifle in front of him with both hands on the barrel, butt to the ground. Five steps surround the bottom of the base at eight angles. Bronze, fluted lampposts with opalescent glass globes are mounted on the second step at each of the four corners.

History -- United States -- Civil War

History -- United States -- Spanish American War

Figure female -- Full length

Allegory -- Civic -- Liberty

Object -- Other -- Flag

Animal -- Bird -- Eagle

Object -- Other -- Torch

Portrait male -- Meade, George Gordon

Portrait male -- McClellan, George Brinton

Portrait male -- Hancock, Winfield Scott

Portrait male -- Hartranft, John Frederick

State of Being -- Evil -- War

Occupation -- Military -- General

Occupation -- Military -- Soldier

Occupation -- Military -- Sailor

Dress -- Uniform -- Military Uniform

Object -- Weapon -- Sword

Outdoor Sculpture -- Pennsylvania -- Allentown

Administered by Lehigh County, Maintenance Department, 455 Hamilton Street, Lehigh County Courthouse, Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101

Located 7th & Hamilton Streets, Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101

The sculpture cost about $43,000 and was funded by a grant from the State of Pennsylvania. It was installed by the City of Allentown as a tribute to the soldiers and sailors of Lehigh County who served during the Civil War and the Spanish American War. Edward Gallagher Jr. of Philadelphia, manager of the Pennsylvania Monument Association, designed and fabricated the base. Bartholomew Donovan of Chicago designed the original Goddess of Liberty sculpture. Henry F. Plaschott created the base figures, relief panels and portrait medallions. One of the relief panels is copied after a painting of the cavalry charge at Antietam by Martini. Another panel is a depiction of Paul Dominique Philippoteaux's "The Ovation of the North."

In 1912 the base was cut down from 35 to 28 feet square at the request of the Lehigh Transit Company in order to allow trolley cars to pass by. In 1933 the Goddess of Liberty was taken down, loose bolts and corroded seams repaired. In 1957, the figure of Liberty was removed and cut up for scrap metal because of excessive rusting. Over the years, several eagles fell and were replaced. The shaft remained without a Liberty figure until 1964, when the entire memorial underwent restoration. The monument was rededicated during Memorial Day festivities on May 30, 1964 and blessed by Monsignor Leo Fink.

Nearby plaque reads: HAMILTON MALL CAPITAL/IMPROVEMENT PROJECT-MAY 31, 1988/JOSEPH S. DADONNA/MAYOR/DONALD M. BERNHARD/DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT/CITY COUNCIL/FRANK J. PALENCIAR, PRESIDENT/BARBARA C. IRVINE, VICE-PRESIDENT/BENJAMIN F. HOWELLS, JR./PETER B. FALESKI/EMMA D. TROPIANO/MARK C. VAN HORN/WATSON W. SKINNER/WALLACE & WATSON, ARCHITECTS. IAS files contain related articles from the Allentown Daily Leader, Oct. 19, 1899, pg. 1; The Morning Call, Oct. 17, 1949 and Oct. 19, 1979, pg. B4; and the Sunday Call-Chronicle, May 31, 1964, pg. B-1. For newspaper articles, blueprints and photographs, see files at Leigh County Historical Society, Museum Library, (Allentown, PA).

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Pennsylvania survey, 1995.

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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