Civil War Monument Mechanic Falls, (sculpture).

Civil War Monument Mechanic Falls, (sculpture).

Monumental Bronze Company, founder.

Civil War Monument Mechanic Falls, (sculpture).

1887. Dedicated May 30, 1887. Reinstalled March 24, 1992. Rededicated May 30, 1992.

Digital Reference:

Approx. H. 30 ft.

(At rear of lower base, right edge:) MONUMENTAL BRONZE CO./BRIDGEPORT, CT. (On tablet at front:) REDEDICATED BY REP. OLYMPIA J. SNOWE M. C./GOV. JOHN R. MCKERNAN JR. MAY 30, 1992/POST 150 THE AMERICAN LEGION (Around lower base in raised letters:) GETTYSBURG/ANTIETAM/WILDERNESS/WINCHESTER (On plaque on base, front:) DEDICATED/MAY 30 A. D. 1887/TO THE MEMORY OF/THOSE COMRADES WHO DIED/DURING THE WAR OF/1861-1865/BY/A. A. DWINAL POST NO. 3/AND/WOMENS RELIEF CORPS/NO. 32, G.A.R./MECHANIC FALLS, MAINE/NO MORE BUGLE CALLS THE WEARY ONE/REST, NOBLE SPIRIT, IN THE GRAVE UNKNOWN,/WE WILL FIND YOU, WE WILL KNOW YOU/AMONG THE GOOD AND TRUE,/WHEN THE ROBE OF WHITE IS GIVEN/FOR THE FADED COAT OF BLUE (120 names of Civil War dead from the Maine towns of Mechanic Falls, Poland, Minot and Hebron appear on plaques on the base) Founder's mark appears.

Full-length figure of a uniformed Union soldier stands at parade rest atop a tall shaft and a tiered base. The figure wears a long caped coat, cap and moustache. He leans on his 1830 Winchester rifle held in front of him with the butt end on the ground.

History -- United States -- Civil War

Figure male -- Full length

Occupation -- Military -- Soldier

Dress -- Uniform -- Military Uniform

Outdoor Sculpture -- Maine -- Mechanic Falls

Administered by Town of Mechanic Falls, 90 Lewiston Street, Mechanic Falls, Maine 04256

Located Mechanic Falls Veterans Memorial Park, Elm Street, Route 121, Mechanic Falls, Maine 04256

Erected by the A. A. Dwinal Post No. 3 and the Women's Relief Corps No. 32, Grand Army of the Republic in 1887. In late 1990 and early 1991, students at the Elm Street School were doing a research project on the Civil War Monument, then just over 100 years old. Realizing that the sculpture was in need of restoration, the students approached the American Legion Mechanic Falls-Minot-Poland Post 150 who then spearheaded a conservation effort. At the suggestion of the Maine Historical Preservation Commission, the Post contracted with sculptor Don Justin Meserve to assess the damage, give an estimate and ultimately to restore the monument. Meserve and his staff removed the figure on Nov. 14, 1991 and restored it in Meserve's studio in Round Pond, Maine. Restoration included straightening the figure which was leaning back at a 10 degree angle, refabricating the broken and missing part of the rifle and removing graffiti with a solution of granite dust and zinc oxide powder. A new armature of 3/4 inch stainless steel rods was added to the interior of the figure to stabilize it. The Post raised over $6,000 and the cost of restoration was approximately $4,000. The remainder of the money was given to the town of Mechanic Falls to start of fund for maintenance. A time capsule was placed in the monument at the time of the restoration, to be opened May 30, 2092.

IAS files contain documentation detailing the conservation efforts, including newspaper articles, correspondence, a chronology of events, rededication programs and lists of donors.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Maine 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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