Soldiers' Monument, (sculpture).

Soldiers' Monument, (sculpture).

Flagg, Ernest, 1857-1947, architect.

O'Connor, M. J., contractor.

Muir, James, contractor.

Fahy, Thomas, contractor.

Bishop, Thomas S., engineer.

Soldiers' Monument, (sculpture).

Commissioned 1897. 1899-1900. Dedicated Sept. 19, 1900.

Digital Reference:

Sculpture: bronze (?); Base: appears to be limestone, and granite.

Sculpture: approx. 7 x 4 x 1 1/2 ft.; Base: approx. 44 ft. x 16 ft. 4 in. x 16 ft. 4 in.

(On front [south] face, tablet in middle of frieze, incised letters:) OH RARE AND ROYAL/WAS THE SACRIFICE (Above, tablet in attic, incised letters:) WITH MALICE TOWARD/NONE WITH CHARITY/FOR ALL WITH FIRM/NESS IN THE RIGHT/LINCOLN (East tablet in engaged, truncated obelisk:) THIS MONUMENT IS BUILT IN/GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF/THE SOLDIERS AND SAILORS/WHO IN THE WAR TO MAINTAIN/THE UNION OFFERED THEIR/LIVES IN THE CAUSE OF MANKIND/THAT COMING GENERATIONS/TAUGHT BY THEIR EXAMPLE/MAY CHERISH THE FRUITS OF THEIR/VALOR AND DEVOTION AND MAKE/THEIR MEMORY IMMORTAL (above, in frieze:) FOR YOU AND ME THEY/PUT THEIR ARMOR ON (above, attic:) LET US HAVE PEACE/GRANT (North frieze:) FOR YOU AND ME THEY/STOOD IN GRIM ARRAY (above, attic:) LIBERTY AND UNION/NOW AND FOREVER/ONE INSEPARABLE/WEBSTER (West, obelisk:) MDCCCLXI - MDCCCLXV/ERECTED BY THE/CITIZENS OF NEW BRITAIN/MDCCCXCIX (above, frieze:) THEY JOINED THE MORTAL/STRUGGLE AND WENT DOWN (above, attic:) TO HEROS (sic) LIVING/AND DEAR MARTYRS/DEAD (Four piers: battle name in each, outboard faces: 8 battles per face, 16 per pier, 64 total)

A large limestone monument in the tradition of Beaux Arts classicism. The monument consists of three parts: the base, tomb and attic, crowned by a dome and a female figure of Winged Victory. Victory stands with proper right hand extended and wings spread, wearing sleeveless classical robes. The figure was once gilded. The attic is decorated with reliefs and tablets and a bronze light standard in each inset corner. The tomb, or main story, is decorated with Pompeian Ionic columns that are topped by pediments and flanked by windows covered with pierced plates of stone. The base includes wrought iron doors on two sides of the monument and two-tiered fountains with lion's heads which once spouted water.

History -- United States -- Civil War

Allegory -- Other -- Triumph

Figure female -- Full length

Outdoor Sculpture -- Connecticut -- New Britain

Administered by City of New Britain, Department of Parks and Recreation, 27 West Main Street, New Britain, Connecticut 06051

Located Central Park, Opposite 242 Main Street, New Britain, Connecticut

As early as Oct. 12, 1868, the idea of a Soldier's Memorial was raised at the town meeting; and in May of 1869, $15,000 was approved for allocation, if the project went ahead in the next year. Fund raising efforts stalled and the monument was not started. The topic was raised at town meetings held on May 31, 1869, Oct. 13, 1873, and Oct. 27, 1873. Because of the depression, nothing was done until March 14, 1884, when a bequest from C. B. Erwin of $2,000, sparked interest again in the project. On August 13, 1885, the town voted a tax for the monument; and work commenced by 1897.

Total cost of the monument was $28,000 -- $21,957 went to the contractor and $2,422 went to the architect. In 1950, the figure of Victory was re-gilded. In the 1960s, and again in 1987, the monument was cleaned.

IAS files contain an excerpt of the dedication program. For further information see Mardges Bacon's "Ernest Flagg, Beaux-Arts Architect and Urban Reformer," New York: The Architectural History Foundation, 1986; J.W. Ringrose's "Official Souvenir and Program of the Dedication of the Soldiers' Monument, New Britain Conn., Sept. 19, 1900," New Britain: New Britain Record Print, 1900; The Connecticut Historical Bulletin 43 (Winter/Spring 1989) 1-2:43, 44; the Daily News (New Britain, CT) Sept. 19, 1900; the Herald (New Britain, CT) Aug. 10, 1950; April 9, 1987; and Kenneth A. Larson's "A Walk Through New Britain, Connecticut," New Britain: The Art Press, 1975, pg. 43, 44. A typescript of speeches at the monument's dedication is on file at the History Room of the New Britain Public Library.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Connecticut survey, 1994.

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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