Statue of Benjamin Franklin (Portland, Oregon) explained

Statue of Benjamin Franklin
Italic Title:no
Artist:George Berry
Type:Sculpture
Subject:Benjamin Franklin
Height Imperial:15
Metric Unit:m
Imperial Unit:ft
City:Portland, Oregon, United States
Coordinates:45.5028°N -122.6069°W
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Zoom:13
Owner:Franklin High School

A statue of Benjamin Franklin stands outside Franklin High School, in Portland, Oregon's South Tabor neighborhood, in the United States. A work by the sculptor George Berry and his assistants, it was installed in 1942.

Description and history

The sculpture was one of two Works Progress Administration (WPA) projects benefitting Franklin between 1939 and 1942; the other was the construction of the school's athletic field. The statue was funded by Franklin alumni and students, who raised $15,000 to commission an artist from the Federal Art Project, one of WPA's five independent branches. George Berry and his team of assistants created a 40-ton sandstone statue of Franklin, which was erected at the school's north entrance, overlooking the athletic field, in 1942. Including its pedestal, the work measures 15feet tall. The pedestal includes built-in benches and the inscription, "One today is worth two tomorrows."[1]

In 2016, the statue was removed temporarily and then returned as part of a major renovation project.[2] [3]

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Franklin High School Statue – "Benjamin Franklin" – Portland OR. Living New Deal. October 30, 2015. September 8, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150908235144/http://livingnewdeal.org/projects/franklin-high-school-statue-benjamin-franklin-portland/. live.
  2. Web site: Portland school's statue on the move. Garrett. Andrews. 7 September 2016. Daily Journal of Commerce. 2 January 2018. 3 January 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180103073122/http://djcoregon.com/news/2016/09/07/portland-schools-statue-on-the-move/. live.
  3. Web site: Frazier. Laura. 22 August 2015. Interim schools and construction up ahead for Portland students as bond work continues. The Oregonian. 2 January 2018. 3 January 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180103073004/http://www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2015/08/some_students_return_to_tempor.html. live.