John Harvard Memorial, (sculpture).

John Harvard Memorial, (sculpture).

Shepley, Henry R., 1887-1962, architect.

John Harvard Memorial, (sculpture).

Modeled 1941. Dedicated 1943.

Digital Reference:

Flagpole base: granite; Inscription plaques: granite; Walls: brick.

Flagpole base: approx. 6 x 4 x 4 ft.

(On front of flagpole base:) AD 1637/ JOHN HARVARD CAME FROM ENGLAND/ TO THIS TOWN HILL/ HE LIVED IN A HOUSE/ ON THE EASTERN SLOPE/ BELOW THE MEETINGHOUSE IN WHICH/ HE PREACHED DYING 1638 HE LEFT/ HALF HIS ESTATE AND ALL HIS BOOKS/ TO THE COLLEGE FOUNDED IN 1636/ TOKEN OF THIS BENEFACTION/ THE GREAT AND GENERAL COURT/ OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY/ ORDERED THAT THE COLLEGE/ AGREED UPON FORMERLY TO BEE BUILT/ AT CAMBRIDGE SHALL BE CALLED/ HARVARD COLLEGE/ AD 1943/ THE PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS/ OF HARVARD COLLEGE GAVE THIS PORTION/ OR TOWN HILL LAID OUT AS A PARK/ TO THE CITY OF BOSTON/ AND NAMED IT FOR JOHN HARVARD

(East wall, tablet #1:) IN JULY 1629 THE STREETS AND LANES/ON THIS HILL WERE LAID OUT/FOR JOHN WINTHROP'S COMPANY/BY THOMAS GRAVE WHO WAS COMMISSIONED IN ADVANCE TO DO THIS WORK. (East wall, tablet #2:) HERE IN 1630 CAME JOHN WINTHROP WITH/HIS COMPANY OF ABOUT 800 MAKING THE STRONGEST/SETTLEMENT IN MASSACHUSETTS BAY/AND LEADING SHORTLY TO THE SETTLEMENT OF BOSTON./THE HISTORY OF TOWN HILL IS MORE THAN THAT OF ONE LOCAL BODY, IT IS A HISTORY WHICH MAKES/THIS LOW MOUND OF EARTH THE MEMORIAL OF A MIGHTY NATION.

(East wall, table #3:) A.D.1637 - MORE THAN 150 "COMELY AND FAIR HOUSES"/WERE STANDING ON AND NEAR THIS HILL/AMONG THE SETTLERS WHO LIVED HERE WERE/JOHN HARVARD, RALPH SPRAGUE, GEO. GUNKER/ZECHARIAH SYMMES, THOMAS LYNDE, WILLIAM FROTHINGHAM/EDWARD GIBBONS, THOMAS BEECHER, ROBERT HALE/JOHN GREENE, WILLIAM WITHERELL, EDWARD JOHNSON/& INCREASE NOWELL, SECRETARY OF THE COLONY OF MASS. BAY (East wall, tablet #4:) NOW THE ONLY WAY...IS TO FOLLOW THE COUNSEL OF MICAH,/TO DO JUSTLY, TO LOVER MERCY, TO WALK HUMBLY WITH/OUR GOD...WE MUST BE WILLING TO ABRIDGE OUR SELVES/OF OUR SUPERFLUITIES FOR THE SUPPLY OF OTHER'S(sic) NECESSITIES/WE MUST...MAKE OTHER'S(sic) CONDITION OUR OWN;/REJOICE TOGETHER, MOURN TOGETHER, LABOR AND SUFFER/TOGETHER...AS MEMBERS OF THE SAME BODY/(JOHN WINTHROP)

(West wall, tablet #1:) SUCCESS/HOPEWELL/WHITE/TRIAL/WILLIAM AND FRANCIS/ANGELLA (350 TONS) FLAGSHIP OF THE FLEET/TALBOT/AMBROSE/JEWEL/MAYFLOWER/SHIPS OF THIS BUILD BROUGHT/JOHN WINTHROPAND HIS COMPANY/TO AMERICA (West wall, tablet #2:) ONE OF THE FIRST SCHOOL HOUSES IN THE MASS. BAY COLONY/WAS BUILD ON THIS HILL. DURING THE FOLLOWING CENTURIES/SCHOOLS HAVE ALWAYS STOOD HERE./AMONG SCHOOLMASTERS BEFORE 1700 WERE/WILLIAM WITHERELL, JOHN MORLEY, EZEKIEL CHEEEVER,/BENJAMIN TOMPSON, SAMUEL PHILLPS

(West wall, tablet #3:) UNDER A GREAT OAK NEAR THIS SPOT IN THE GREAT HOUSE/JOHN WINTHROP AND HIS COMPANIONS GATHERS THE CHURCH/WHICH UPON REMOVAL TO SHAWMUT BECAME IN 1630 THE/FIRST CHURCH IN BOSTON. PASTORS AND TEACHERS BEFORE 1700 WERE: THOMAS JAMES, ZECHARIAH SYMMES,/JOHN HARVARD, THOMAS ALLEN, THOMAS SHEPARD,/THOMAS SHEPARD JR., CHARLES MORTON, SIMON BRADSTREET (West wall, table #4:) WHEAT/OATS/RYE/BARLEY/CORN/(MAIZE)/BY LEAVE OF THE SETTLERS, A WINDMILL/WAS BUILT ON THIS HILL IN 1635/TO GRIND THE GRAINS HARVEST NEARBY unsigned

The memorial consists of a square granite flagpole base and eight granite tablets installed in two brick walls on the east and west sides of John Harvard Mall. Four tablets are installed each brick wall. The tablets contain an inscription and/or an engraved image, such as a windmill, a sailing ship, or an area map. Each side of the flagpole base is adorned with an inscription.

Homage -- Harvard, John

History -- United States -- Massachusetts

History -- United States -- Colonization

Architecture -- Boat -- Sailing Ship

Architecture -- Industry -- Windmill

Object -- Written Matter -- Map

Outdoor Sculpture -- Massachusetts -- Boston

Administered by City of Boston, Boston Art Commission, Office of Cultural Affairs, Boston City Hall, Room 716, Boston, Massachusetts 02201

Located John Harvard Mall, Boston, Massachusetts

Public Monument Conservation Project, 1986.

Zoukee, Sophye M., "Adopt-A-Statue Casebook," Boston: City of Boston, 1990, pg. 42.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Massachusetts survey, 1997.

Zoukee, Sophye M., "Adopt-A-Statue Casebook," Boston: City of Boston, 1990, pg. 42.

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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