Ben Milam, (sculpture).

Ben Milam, (sculpture).

Baker, Bryant, 1881-1970, sculptor.

Nelson, Donald, 1907- , architect.

Ben Milam, (sculpture).

1937-1938. Copyrighted 1938. Dedicated July 17, 1938.

Digital Reference:

Sculpture: bronze; Base: Marble Falls pink granite.

Sculpture: approx. 12 ft. x 5 ft. x 2 ft. 3 in.; Base: approx. 6 x 5 x 5 ft.

(On proper left side of sculpture's bronze base:) Bryant Baker Sc. 1937 (On front of base:) MILAM (On right side of base:) BENJAMIN RUSH MILAM/BORN IN KENTUCKY/1788 SOLDIER IN THE/WAR OF 1812 TRADER/WITH TEXAS/COMANCHE INDIANS/1818 COLONEL IN/THE LONG EXPEDITION/IN 1820 IMPRESARIO/FROM 1826 TO 1835 (On rear of base:) WHO WILL FOLLOW/OLD BEN MILAM/INTO SAN ANTONIO/ERECTED BY THE/STATE OF TEXAS/1936 WITH FUNDS/APPROPRIATED/BY THE FEDERAL/GOVERNMENT TO/COMMEMORATE/ONE HUNDRED/YEARS OF TEXAS/INDEPENDENCE (On left side of base:) BENJAMIN RUSH MILAM/PARTICIPATED IN THE/CAPTURE OF GOLIAD/OCTOBER NINTH 1835/WAS KILLED IN SAN/ANTONIO DECEMBER/SEVENTH 1835 WHILE/COMMANDING THE TEXAS/FORCES WHICH LATER/CAPTURED THE TOWN. signed

Ben Milam, hero of the Texas Revolution, stands with his proper right hand raised holding a hat. In the crook of his proper left arm he holds a rifle with his hand near the trigger. His mouth is open as if calling his men to arms. He wears a pouch which falls at his proper right hip. The sculpture is mounted on a tall marble base.

Portrait male -- Milam, Benjamin Rush -- Full length

History -- United States -- Texas Revolution

History -- United States -- War of 1812

Occupation -- Military -- Soldier

Occupation -- Military -- Colonel

Occupation -- Hunter -- Trapper

Dress -- Historic -- Pioneer Dress

Dress -- Accessory -- Hat

Object -- Weapon -- Gun

Outdoor Sculpture -- Texas -- Cameron

Administered by Milam County, Commissioner's Court, P. O. Box 1009, Cameron, Texas 76520

Located Milam County Courthouse, Cameron, Texas

The sculpture was installed by the State of Texas with funds allotted by the federal government to commemorate 100 years of Texas independence. The cost of the sculpture was $14,000. Benjamin Rush Milam, a hero of the Texas Revolution, participated in the capture of Goliad on October 9, 1835 and was killed in San Antonio on December 7, 1835 while leading Texas forces which later captured the town. Milam, who was born in Kentucky in 1788, served as a soldier in the War of 1812, was a trader with the Comanche Indians, participated in the Long Expedition of 1820, and served as impresario from 1826 to 1835. IAS files contain related excerpts from Harold Schoen's "Monuments Erected by the State of Texas to Commemorate the Centenary of Texas Independence," Austin: Commission of Control, 1938; and "History of Milam County," Milam County Historical Commission. IAS files contain an article from the Cameron Herald, July 17, 1938; and related correspondence from the artist.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Texas survey, 1993.

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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