Point Pleasant Battle Monument, (sculpture).

Point Pleasant Battle Monument, (sculpture).

Unknown, sculptor.

Point Pleasant Battle Monument, (sculpture).

1909. Dedicated Oct. 10, 1909.

Figure: Westerly granite; Shaft: Balfour granite; Plaques: bronze.

Figure: approx. 8 ft. x 2 ft. 6 in. x 3 ft.; Base: approx. 84 ft. x 12 ft. 6 in. x 12 ft. 6 in.

(Plaque on front, east side of base :) THE/BATTLE OF POINT PLEASANT:/THE CHIEF EVENT OF LORD DUNMORE'S WAR./THIS MONUMENT WAS ERECTED IN THE YEAR 1909, IN COMMEMORATION OF THE BATTLE OF POINT/PLEASANT, FOUGHT AT THE MOUTH OF THE GREAT KANAWHA RIVER, NOW IN WEST VIRGINIA, OCT.10,/1774 (Text)

(Plaque on top north side of base:) THE INFLUENCE OF/THE BATTLE OF POINT PLEASANT/UPON SUBSEQUENT HISTORY/(Text) (Plaque on bottom north side of base:) VIRGINIANS WOUNDED IN BATTLE OF POINT PLEASANT/(List of names) (On west side of base, on circular bronze seal of the United States:) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA/E. PLURIBUS (On west side of base, on circular bronze state seal:) STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA/MOUNTANI SEMPER LIBERI (Plaque on bottom west side of base:) A BATTLE SCENE/AT POINT PLEASANT/OCT 10, 1774 (On lower left corner of same plaque:) R.M.(N) BURNHAM 09

(Plaque on top south side of base:) THE ORGANIZATION OF/THE VIRGINIAN ARMY (Text) (Plaque on bottom south side of base:) VIRGINIANS KILLED IN THE BATTLE OF POINT PLEASANT/(List of names)

An 84-foot tall granite obelisk with a statue of a colonial frontiersman located on the East side. The frontiersman stands on a horizontal extension of the base of the obelisk, approximately six feet from the ground. He wears a knee-length hunting shirt, fringed around the edges and gathered at the waist by a wide belt with a heavy buckle. His head is turned slightly to the proper left. His brow is wrinkled and he gazes downward.

The frontiersman wears "button-up leggings" which extend from the arch of his foot to above the knee. He carries a pouch and powderhorn on his proper right side, held by a strap over his proper left shoulder. A broad-blade knife in a sheath is attached at his waist on his proper left side. He holds a raccoon cap at his proper right side. On the bottom West side of the monument is a bronze plaque depicting the Battle of Point Pleasant.

History -- United States -- Revolution

History -- United States -- Westward Expansion

History -- United States -- Lord Dunmore's War

History -- United States -- Indian Wars

History -- United States -- Battle of Point Pleasant

Occupation -- Military -- Soldier

Ethnic -- Indian

Dress -- Historic -- Pioneer Dress

Object -- Weapon -- Gun

Figure male -- Full length

Outdoor Sculpture -- West Virginia -- Point Pleasant

Administered by State of West Virginia, Division of Tourism and Parks, State Capitol Complex, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard East, Charleston, West Virginia 25305

Located Point Pleasant Battle Monument State Park, Main & First Streets, Point Pleasant, West Virginia 25550

The statue commemorates the Battle of Point Pleasant, which took place on Oct. 10, 1774, between 1,250 Virginia colonial troops composing the left wing of Lord Dunmore's army and an equal number of warriors from the united Indain nationa - Shawnee, Delaware, Mingos, Wyandottes, Miamis, and Ottawas. The Indians were led by Shawnee Chief Keigh-tugh-qua (Cornstalk).

The idea for the monument originated as early as 1860. In 1875, the legislature of West Virginia granted an appropriation of $3,500. In 1901, ground was purchased for the park, then named Tu-endie-wie (or "Meeting of the two rivers"). DAR chapters also contributed funding. In 1905, the West Virginia legislature appropriated an additional $5,000; and in 1908 the U.S. Congress gave $10,000. The statue was erected under the supervision of the U.S. War Department.

See IAS files for additional plaque inscriptions and copy of article from State Gazette (Point Pleasant, WV), Oct. 8, 1909, pg. 1. IAS files include related citations: Morgan, John G., "A Point in History, the Battle of Point Pleasant," Charleston Gazette, 1975, pp. 32-33; and Simpson-Poffenbarger, Livia Nye, "The Battle of Point Pleasant," Point Pleasant, WV: State Gazette Pub., 1909, pp. 131-132.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, West Virginia survey, 1992.

State Gazette (Point Pleasant, WV), Oct. 8, 1909, pg. 1.

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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