Spanish–American War Soldier's Monument Explained

Spanish American War Soldier’s Monument
Artist:Douglas Tilden
Type:Sculpture
Material:Bronze
Metric Unit:cm
Imperial Unit:in
City:Portland, Oregon, United States
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Zoom:13
Coordinates:45.5161°N -122.6773°W

The Spanish–American War Soldier's Monument, also known as the Spanish–American War Memorial or simply Soldiers Monument,[1] [2] is an outdoor sculpture and war memorial monument honoring the dead of the 2nd Oregon Volunteer Infantry Regiment of the Spanish–American War and Philippine–American War. The monument was created by American artist Douglas Tilden and located in Lownsdale Square, in the Plaza Blocks of downtown Portland, Oregon.[3] It features a bronze statue on a marble pedestal and granite base. The monument is part of the City of Portland and Multnomah County Public Art Collection courtesy of the Regional Arts & Culture Council.[4]

Description

The memorial statue was designed by sculptor Douglas Tilden and installed in Lownsdale Square in Portland's Plaza Blocks in 1906 to honor the 2nd Oregon Volunteer Infantry Regiment troops who served in the Spanish–American War.[3] [5] It features two Howitzer cannons, set low to the ground, which were collected in 1902 by Henry E. Dosch. He was given permission by the War Department to bring them to Portland after he found them buried in sand in Charleston, South Carolina. There is also a bronze plaque which reads: "Howitzers fired in the defense of Fort Sumpter 1861".[6]

History

Plans for a monument to honor the dead of the 2nd Oregon Volunteers began early in 1899 with the sale of book subscriptions for $0.25 with a small percentage going toward the monument.[7] [8] The monument committee favored a design similar to one in honor of the 39th Pennsylvania Infantry at Gettysburg with a bronze statue and a marble pedestal.[9] The committee also required that the base, shaft, and cornice be cut from a single piece of granite and remain in one piece. E.W. Wright, the Portland representative of a quarry in Barre, Vermont, received a contract for $8,000, and the stone was cut in Vermont from Barre Granite and shipped to Portland.[10] A $5,000 contract was awarded for the statue.[11] The weight of the pedestal was, and when topped by the statue the height was about .[12]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Spanish–American War Memorial (Portland, Oregon). University of Oregon Libraries. July 4, 2014. July 1, 2014. https://archive.today/20140701232048/http://boundless.uoregon.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/archpnw&CISOPTR=21088&CISOBOX=1&REC=7. dead.
  2. Web site: Lownsdale Square. July 4, 2014. City of Portland, Oregon. July 15, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140715102438/http://www.portlandoregon.gov/parks/finder/index.cfm?action=ViewPark&PropertyID=243. live.
  3. Web site: Public Art Search: Spanish American War Soldier's Monument. June 28, 2014. Regional Arts & Culture Council. July 14, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140714204345/http://racc.org/public-art/search/?recid=797.187. dead.
  4. Web site: Spanish–American War Soldier's Monument, 1906. cultureNOW. July 13, 2014. July 14, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140714203740/http://culturenow.org/entry%26permalink%3D06255%26seo%3DSpanish-American-War-Soldiers-Monument_Douglas-Tilden-and-City-of-Portland-and-Multnomah-County-Public-Art-Collection-courtesy-of-the-Regional-Arts-Culture-Council. live.
  5. Web site: Spanish–American War Soldier's Monument. Public Art Archive. July 14, 2014.
  6. News: In Downtown Portland, reminders of Civil War's start and the forces that created Oregon. Anne. Saker. July 14, 2014. The Oregonian. April 11, 2011. July 14, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140714234155/http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/04/in_a_downtown_portland_park_re.html. live.
  7. News: Local News Items . Oregon City Courier . 4 . A.W. Cheney . January 27, 1899 . February 26, 2015 . February 27, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150227081658/http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn00063697/1899-01-27/ed-1/seq-4/ . live .
  8. Various fundraising efforts continued, although an apportion bill failed in the Oregon State Legislature that would have provided $8000 to the monument fund if the planners had included a plaque that recited "all of the deeds of valor since white men came to this country." See News: Act on Monument: Committee of Fifteen Given Charge of Memorial . The Oregonian . Portland . 8 . Henry Pittock . January 8, 1902 . February 26, 2015 . February 27, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150227075836/http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83025138/1902-01-08/ed-1/seq-8/ . live .
  9. News: For Oregon Boys: Practical Start for the Soldiers' Monument . The Oregonian . Portland . 1 . Henry Pittock . February 11, 1902 . February 26, 2015 . February 27, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150227080545/http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83025138/1902-02-11/ed-1/seq-1/ . live .
  10. Wright had constructed the fountain and pedestal of the Thompson Elk Fountain.
  11. News: Critics Are Hasty: Lowest Bidder Got Soldiers' Monument Contract . The Oregonian . Portland . 11 . Henry Pittock . November 3, 1903 . February 26, 2015 . February 27, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150227075931/http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83025138/1903-11-03/ed-1/seq-11/ . live .
  12. News: Main Shaft of Oregon Volunteers' Monument Is Now in Place . The Oregonian . Portland . 8 . Henry Pittock . April 9, 1906 . February 26, 2015 . February 27, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150227074148/http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83025138/1906-04-09/ed-1/ . live .

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