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  • 9/11 Memorial
    9/11 Memorial
    Category: Historical; Memorial/Monument; Outdoor Sculpture
    The 9/11 Memorial was dedicated exactly ten years after the historical events to honor those killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 in New York City.  The memorial, which is set overlooking the Downtown Canal, contains two 11,000-pound beams from the World Trade Center’s twin towers that were destroyed in the attacks; a pair of six-foot tall black granite walls inscribed with remembrances of the events in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania; four smaller granite markers inscribed with images and descriptions of four key events of September 11 and the times they occurred; and a bronze, life-size sculpture of an American bald eagle perched on one of the beams, with wings outstretched and gazing east in the direction of the events of that tragic day.  There are also four benches in the plaza, which are replicas of benches in the World Trade Center plaza, and seven Indiana native flowering trees, symbolizing the seven buildings of the World Trade Center complex.  A specimen redbud tree stands directly opposite the granite wall as a Freedom Tree, its bold color representing the resolve of the American spirit.  The granite wall has a large, jagged gap between its two halves, to symbolize the United States being torn apart on September 11, 2001.  Inscriptions on the wall and around the memorial highlight the emotions felt on that day and expressions of hope and unity. The memorial was the culmination of Project 9/11, an effort by Indianapolis resident and firefighter/paramedic Greg Hess.  Hess had served on Indiana Task Force 1, one of the first emergency responder teams to arrive at the site of the terrorist attacks to assist local teams with rescue and recovery. The memorial was produced entirely through private donations and in-kind contributions. The plaza and its elements were designed by Bill Cotterman of Gibraltar Design, Inc.  His intention was to recreate, both emotionally and symbolically, the experience of being at the World Trade Center site.  Sculptor Ryan Feeney, who is also an Indianapolis firefighter, and his co-worker Donald Mee created the bronze eagle.  
  • Arthur St. Clair Memorial
    Arthur St. Clair Memorial
    Category: Historical; Memorial/Monument
    This tablet was erected by the General Arthur St. Clair Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1938 on the 150th anniversary of the inauguration of government in Indiana under the Northwest Ordinance. Indianapolis’ St. Clair St. is named after him; however, he never lived in Indiana. Born in Scotland and originally a British army officer, Arthur St. Clair switched sides and served in the Revolutionary Army and afterward, as a representative of Pennsylvania, was elected President of the Continental Congress (and therefore of the United States).  He served in that role for nine months, particularly during the framing of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, which established processes for settling and governing the area including what is now Indiana.  He then served as the commander of the US Military and as the Governor of the Northwest Territory (including what is now Indiana) from 1788-1802. As Governor he sought to eliminate Native American claims to the territory, and his one-sided proposed treaty provoked the combined Indiana resistance known as Little Turtle [Mihšihkinaahkwa]’s War.  At what became known as “St. Clair’s Defeat” in 1791–a battle that involved fighters from many Indigenous peoples including the Miami, Potawotami, Shawnee, Delaware (Lenape), Ottawa, Ojibwe, and others at what is now Fort Recovery on the Ohio-Indiana border–the American forces were roundly defeated.  Although he was exonerated from responsibility, St. Clair resigned his military commission in 1792 at the request of President Washington.  He continued as the governor of the Ohio Territory and in that role, with Federalist leanings, he argued for the complete independence of the Territory from the control of Congress; this opinion led President Jefferson to remove him from his position in 1802. He retired from public life to run an iron business, which was not successful.  He died impoverished in 1818 at age 81. St. Clair is often considered a “forgotten Founding Father.” For more information visit the website dedicated to his life and work.
  • Carmel Clay Freedom Circle Veterans Memorial
    Carmel Clay Freedom Circle Veterans Memorial
    Category: Memorial/Monument; Outdoor Sculpture
    This over-life-sized sculpture of two kneeling soldiers, a man and a woman, shows them as if they were on a battlefield and have just picked up an American flag.  They seem windblown, as if they are fighting the weather along with other hardships in order to move forward.  Eight flags–one for each of the five uniformed military services as well as the U.S. flag, the Indiana flag, and the POW/MIA flag–fly at the site.  Six plaques with inspirational quotes surround the pedestal; the quote authors are Presidents Lincoln, Jefferson, Eisenhower and Reagan, philosopher Edmund Burke, and aviator Amelia Earhart.  A reflecting pool, common to many memorials, completes the layout. The memorial honors American veterans of all wars, all periods, anywhere. The figures are wearing late 20th century military dress, but historic battlefield artifacts are represented to signify the historic aspects of the monument. The sculpture was created in 2006 by Terre Haute, IN artist Bill Wolfe, who won a design competition in order to receive the commission.  The project was first initiated in 1999. Click here for more information.
  • Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument [removed]
    Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument [removed]
    Category: Archive; Historical; Memorial/Monument; Outdoor Sculpture
    The Confederate Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument was first erected in 1912 by the United States government to honor the 1,616 Confederate soldiers who died as prisoners of war at Camp Morton in Indianapolis. It is one of only four memorials to Confederates sponsored by the Federal government. The monument was originally placed in the old Greenlawn Cemetery, where the soldiers had been buried. In 1928, when the cemetery closed, the remains of the soldiers were moved to Crown Hill Cemetery. At the request of the Southern Club of Indianapolis, the monument was moved to a site in Garfield Park near the Southern Avenue entrance, making it more visible to the public. Names of the dead are inscribed on bronze plaques, including those of 24 African-American soldiers. On the north side of the monument, the following inscription is engraved: “Erected by the United States to mark the burial place of 1,616 Confederate soldiers and sailors who died here while prisoners of war and whose graves cannot now be identified.” The monument became publicly controversial in 2017 after the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, made the public more aware of the racism inherent in Confederate monuments wherever they appeared. Although there had been plans for years to eventually remove it to Crown Hill Cemetery and place it with the soldiers’ remains, nothing had been done because of the conflict between people who believed it should remain in place to remember Southern history (and who sought to refurbish it), and those who felt it glorified slavery and should be removed. A third faction believed a public interpretive project should contextualize the monument and its meaning, allowing all voices to be heard. 2017’s urgent public calls to remove the sculpture, including one incident of an individual attacking it with a hammer, resulted in more practical discussions about how it could be moved, but no action was taken until the summer of 2020.  In the middle of nationwide protests over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and increased public support of the Black Lives Matter movement, the hurtful symbolism of Confederate monuments was again brought to the forefront and the City of Indianapolis dismantled the monument. It is currently in storage.    
  • Elijah Miles Memorial
    Elijah Miles Memorial
    Category: Memorial/Monument; Outdoor Sculpture
    This small architectural fragment and memorial stone appeared in the Pathways to Peace Garden in August 2022. Clearly created at different times and never intended to appear together, they have been assembled as an impromptu statement, possibly by a grieving family member. The stone reads: IN LOVING MEMORY ELIJAH MILES JULY 22, 1981 – OCT 11, 1995 KEY SCHOOL STUDENT “Key School” could refer to IPS’ Francis Scott Key School 103, 3920 Baker St., or to the Key Learning Community formerly located at 7777 S. White River Parkway W. Dr., an IPS K-12 magnet school built on Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. The Key Learning Community was active from 1987-2015. The architectural fragment seems to be from a building constructed in the later 19th or early 20th century, possibly as late as 1930. It is unclear what building it may have originally come from.  
  • Henry Lawton Monument
    Henry Lawton Monument
    Category: Historical; Memorial/Monument; Outdoor Sculpture
    Sculpted by Andrew O’Connor in 1906 and first installed in 1915, the Henry Ware Lawton Monument stands overlooking Garfield Park’s Sunken Gardens at the northern entrance to the conservatory. Henry Ware Lawton (1843-1899) was a highly respected U.S. Army officer who grew up in Indiana and fought in the 9th and 30th Indiana Infantries during the Civil War, lying about his age in order to fight. Lawton went on to serve in the Apache Wars, the Spanish-American War, and was the only U.S. general officer to be killed during the Philippine-American War. Lawton also served briefly and well as the military governor of Santiago, Cuba from August to October of 1898. However, a tropical illness in October forced him to return to the United States to recuperate before the Philippine campaign, where he died in battle in December 1899. Nine years after his death, this statue was commissioned by Indianapolis city leaders and erected on the grounds of the Marion County Courthouse. The dedication ceremony was presided over by President Theodore Roosevelt and Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks, a fellow Hoosier. The Hoosier Poet, James Whitcomb Riley, composed a poem to commemorate the event, which was one of few appearances he made in the last years of his life. Since automobiles were becoming more commonplace and the monument was located close to the busy corner of Delaware and Washington Streets, Indianapolis leaders feared that drivers may lose control of their vehicles and crash while looking at the sculpture. For this reason, the monument was moved in 1917 to Garfield Park, which was still under construction at the time. The statue itself was created by Andrew O’Connor (1874-1941), an American-Irish sculptor whose work is represented in museums in America, Ireland, Britain and France. In 1906, O’Connor won the Second Class medal for the monument at the Paris Salon competition, a first for an American entry into that competition. Click here for more information on Henry Ware Lawton. Click here for more information on Andrew O’Connor.
  • In Memory of Unborn Children
    In Memory of Unborn Children
    Category: Memorial/Monument
    This installation on the grounds of Holy Spirit Catholic Church, current as of 11/3/2022, honors all unborn children. Although it is in the tradition of roadside memorials and visually resembles one, it is more in keeping with the tradition of placing a descanso or crucita–an informal memorial cross–at the site of an unexpected death to allow passersby to pray for the unshriven soul in Purgatory.
  • Indiana Law Enforcement & Firefighters Memorial
    Indiana Law Enforcement & Firefighters Memorial
    Category: Memorial/Monument; Outdoor Sculpture; Water Feature/Fountain
    Indiana Law Enforcement and Firefighters Memorial is a public artwork and memorial dedicated to law enforcement officers and firefighters from Indiana who lost their lives in the line of duty. Its design and construction was the collaborative effort of a broad range of professionals, including architects, landscapers, engineers, and construction experts. The memorial is located next to the Indiana Government Center North, on the corner of Government Way and Senate Ave. in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. The memorial was dedicated on June 6, 2001 after ten months of planning and construction. The dedication was held three days before the 2001 opening of the World Police and Fire Games that were held in Indianapolis. A sign marks the pathway to the memorial which is in a park-like setting, with many trees and benches. A fountain which is in the shape of the Indiana state flag is featured in the center of the memorial. Large pylons support bronze medallions, each weighing approximately 500 lbs. The proper right side of the memorial area is designated to honor law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. The bronze medallion atop the Indiana limestone pylon displays a uniformed police officer standing next to Saint Michael Archangel, patron of police. In the center of each of the two pylons are laminated books where visitors can search for the names of individuals who are memorialized on the monument, and directions for locating the name. Behind the pylon stands eleven groups of three gray granite panels (thirty-three panels total) with the names of Indiana police officers who have died in the line of duty etched into the granite. To the proper left is the area designated to honor firefighters who were killed in the line of duty. A bronze medallion depicting the Firefighter shield sits atop the pylon to the proper left. Behind the pylon stands eleven groups of three gray granite panels (thirty-three panels total) with the names of Indiana firefighters who have died in the line of duty etched into the granite. The law enforcement and firefighter panels mirror one another and create a semicircle. This memorial is a series of pieces, constructed from gray granite, Indiana limestone, and bronze. The only easily identifiable inscriptions are part of the memorial itself, including the names of the deceased that are etched into the granite, as well as words of dedication on the pylons. There are no visible artist or foundry marks. The memorial was built just 16″ above a pedestrian tunnel, so extra care was taken during the construction to provide for proper weight distribution, stability, and drainage. Under the direction of the State of Indiana and the Indiana Firefighters Memorial Committee, the planning, design, and construction for the Indiana Law Enforcement and Fire Fighters Memorial commenced in August 2000. The work was completed and unveiled on June 6, 2001, just three days prior to the opening ceremonies of the World Police and Fire Games that were being held in Indianapolis that year. The price for the construction of the memorial was approximately $1 million. In 2002, Glenroy Construction was awarded the BKD Governor’s Award for their work on the memorial. This award is granted for exceeding the award criteria and for a structure that provides a positive impact on the community. The design and construction of the Indiana Law Enforcement and Firefighters Memorial was a collaborative effort. Indiana based company Glenroy Construction Company, Ken Boyce of Ratio Architects, Patrick Brunner, Architect and Bonnie Sheridan Coghlan, Architect, and Indianapolis based Becker Landscape participated in the design and construction of the memorial. Quoted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Law_Enforcement_and_Firefighters_Memorial
  • Indianapolis Fallen Firefighters' Memorial
    Indianapolis Fallen Firefighters' Memorial
    Category: Memorial/Monument; Outdoor Sculpture
    Located adjacent to the Firefighter’s Local 416 union hall, the Indianapolis Firefighter’s Memorial lists and honors all Indianapolis firefighters killed in the line of duty since records began in the 19th century. The layout of the memorial plaza begins at the main doors of the firehouse; these doors are flanked by two complete stone columns. To the left of the doors is a series of five stone columns similar to those standing at the firehouse doors. These columns differ, however, in that they are broken and move in a descending spiral. At the apex of the spiral is a raised platform set above the surrounding plaza. From this platform bursts a new column, seemingly in the process of being hewn from living stone. Near the top of the column are abstract carvings of flames that evolve into a three dimensional representation of fire. The carving then transforms into the plumage of the mythical bird, the phoenix, which ends its life in flames and is reborn from the same flames. a bronze phoenix, cast in full round, tops the column.  At the base of the central sculpture group there is a bronze plaque with a Firefighter’s Prayer. The memorial was conceived in 1992 after a fire at the Indianapolis Athletic club claimed the lives of two firefighters.  In their grief, the department decided to honor all fallen firefighters in a single, permanent memorial.  A mass memorial ceremony was held in 1993, when the names of all the fallen heroes were read out and a flower for each one was placed in a vase at the spot for the future memorial plaza.  The plaza was completed and dedicated on July 26, 1996. According to the Local 416 historian, there are four Black firefighters honored on the memorial: Thomas Smith: November 8, 1911. Thomas S. Smith, Hose Wagon #16 – Lieutenant, died from his injuries sustained from the hose wagon being struck by a streetcar. Lieutenant Smith, one of IFD’s first black fire fighters, was en route to an alarm at 21st Street and Northwestern Avenue when the hose wagon was struck at the intersection of 16th Street and College Avenue. Clifford Woods: December 16, 1939. Clifford C. Woods, Engine #1 – Private, died from his injuries sustained after Engine #1 hit a pothole and flipped, pinning him under the engine near the intersection of Beauty Avenue and New York Street while responding to a fire near New York Street and Hansen Avenue. Roy Pope: August 17, 1963. Roy Pope Jr., Engine #1 – Lieutenant, collapsed and died from smoke inhalation after becoming separated from his crew and running out of air while fighting a 2-alarm building fire at 1915 West 18th Street. Warren J.C Smith:  August 13, 2000. Engine # 14 – Private, died while on a training dive for the department. While performing a training dive, Pvt. Smith got entangled in search ropes. While trying to surface, air clots caused him to go into cardiac arrest. Additional information and a complete roster of fallen firefighters honored can be found at http://l416.com/about-us/memorial-plaza/
  • Louis Chevrolet Memorial
    Louis Chevrolet Memorial
    Category: Historical; Memorial/Monument; Outdoor Sculpture
    This memorial, also known as Founders Plaza, features a bust of Louis Chevrolet on a pedestal in front of a curved marble seating area with four bronze reliefs of some of the founders of the car/racing industry, including Henry Ford (1923); Gaston Chevrolet (1920); Tommy Milton (1921); and Louis Chevrolet (1911). The memorial, designed by Fred Wellman and sculpted by Adolph Wolter, was created during 1968–1970 and installed in the spring of 1975. Wellman conceived his idea for a Louis Chevrolet memorial in 1964 after visiting Chevrolet’s grave in the Holy Cross and St. Joseph Cemetery in Indianapolis, and realized that he was under-recognized for his contributions to the auto and racing industries. The centerpiece of the memorial is a bronze bust of Chevrolet wearing a racing cap and goggles; it rests on a marble and granite square base.  The relief panels show Chevrolet and William C. Durant, founder of General Motors, with the first Chevrolet Classic Six touring car in 1911; Chevrolet’s first winning car at Indianapolis 500 in 1920, driven by his brother Gaston, with four Speedway pioneers in the background, Carl G. Fisher, James A. Allison, Lem H. Trotter and T. E. (Pop) Meyers; Chevrolet’s second Indianapolis winner in 1921, driven by Tommy Milton, with Capt. Edward V. Rickenbacker, Col. Arthur W. Herrington, Louis Schwitzer, and Cornelius W. Van Ranst; and Chevrolet’s 1923 Barber-Warnock Fronty-Ford, which placed fifth driven by L. L. Corum, with Henry Ford at the wheel, flanked by Barney Oldfield, Chevrolet, and Harvey Firestone.
  • Oliver P. Morton
    Oliver P. Morton
    Category: Historical; Memorial/Monument; Mosaic/Wall Relief; Outdoor Sculpture
    Oliver P. Morton is a public artwork by Austrian artist Rudolph Schwarz, located on the east side of the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, at the intersection of North Capitol Avenue and West Market Street. The Oliver P. Morton memorial is composed of three bronze statues and two bronze reliefs, one plaque on the front, and two plaques on the rear, also of bronze. The pedestals on which the statues stand are made of granite. Oliver Perry Morton stands positioned in the center, raised above the other two figures by a full figure’s height. Two Union soldiers flank either side of Morton. The soldiers on the proper left is uniformed and holding a bayonet. The soldier on the proper right is holding a rifle and wearing a sword on his left; this figure is uniformed as well. Below the figures at the base of the pedestals are two flags crossed with olive branches, and there is an oak wreath of leaves and acorns in the center. The reliefs are located on the sides of the soldiers’ pedestals. The relief that faces south depicts Oliver P. Morton giving a speech. The relief that faces north shows him standing in an infirmary tent. On the rear of the memorial are two plaques. The top plaque is located on the pedestal of Morton. It reads: Oliver Perry Morton Born in Wayne Co. Indiana August 4, 1823. Died in Indianapolis November 1, 1877. Aged 54 years 2 months and 25 days. Admitted to the Bar in 1847. Served as Governor of Indiana from January 18, 1861 to March 4, 1867. Served as U.S. Senator from Indiana from March 4, 1867 until his death November 1, 1877. In all ways and at all times the friend of the Union soldier. The friend of the country. The upholder of Abraham Lincoln. The defender of the flag and the Union of the States. Patriot. Statesman. Lover of Liberty. Heroic in heart. Inflexible in purpose and ever to be known in history as The Great War Governor On the plaque below the first on the lower part of the pedestal are the words: The annual meeting held in June, 1904, The Department of Indiana. Grand Army of the Republic. An organization of the honorably discharged soldier and sailors who served in the Army and Navy to preserve the integrity of the Republic of the United States of America, in the Great Civil War from A.D. 1861 to 1865, memorialized the legislature of the State of Indiana to appropriate sufficient money to erect this monument to perpetuate the memory of Oliver Perry Morton The Great War Governor of Indiana during that period. As seen on the memorial label, the memorial was installed in 1907. The work was commissioned by the Indiana General Assembly.[2] The planning of the Morton memorial began in early 1906. On February 9, 1906, the Commission met and designs were presented by Franklin Simmons from Rome, Italy; Hugh A. Price from Chicago, Ill.; and Rudolph Schwarz from Indianapolis, Indiana, for bronze figures 12 feet high and the tablets for $9000. The designs for the pedestals were planned upon contract with John R. Lowe and if accepted, architect fees would be for the same. Plans by Lowe were accepted and after legal notice was given in the newspapers, bids for the pedestals were received on April 10, 1906. The Commission accepted bid of Chas. G. Blake & Co. of Chicago, Illinois of the $7,483 for Barre granite and $10,150 for Westerly granite.[3] Soon after, officers of the state designated the space of the memorial as “Morton Plaza.” The dimensions of the pedestals were then increased, for which the contractors were allowed an additional $935. On June 4, 1906, a contract in the amount of $7,500 was entered into for Schwarz to create the following components of the memorial: the letters of the name “Morton”; the 4.5 x 5 foot tablet that gives a brief history of life and services of Governor Morton; the Grand Army tablet that is two feet six inches by eight feet; and the two bronze statues of soldiers of the Civil War, each ten feet high.[3] Two balustrades were then placed on the north and south ends of Morton Plaza. The Commission again chose Chas. G. Blake & Co. Rudolph Schwarz received another contract to provide and furnish the materials for two bronze bas-reliefs to be placed on the middle columns of the balustrades for $500 apiece. The bas-relief of the south balustrade dedicates a scene to the women of the war. It states “…while some were supplying clothing and hospital supplies, others went down to the very border line of danger to help nurse back to health the sick and wounded, when possible.” The north bas-relief portrays a familiar war scene of the reception of homecoming veterans. The materials for the foundation upon which the pedestals sit is deeply laid solid masonry of limestone and cement. The pedestal itself weighs 32 tons and required 16 horses to move it from the car to the place where it is now. The bronze of the monument weighs approximately 16,000 pounds (7,300 kg), of which 8,000 pounds (3,600 kg) is attributed to just the Morton figure. The bronze is composed of 90% copper, 8% tin, and 2% zinc; the bronze of the balustrades and reliefs has the same composition. Oliver Perry Throck Morton, Morton’s grandson, unveiled the memorial at the age of 8. After the dedication, the only unfinished work was the paving of the plaza. Crushed granite and granite steps were installed soon thereafter at the cost of $1,139.75. The total amount that was spent on the project was $36,544.40. Oliver Perry Morton was the first Indiana native to be governor of Indiana. He was born in Salisbury, Indiana in Wayne County. The family’s name was originally Throckmorton, known by the emigration of Morton’s grandfather from England around the beginning of the Revolutionary War who settled in New Jersey. Oliver’s father was James T. Morton from New Jersey; his mothers maiden name was Sarah Miller. When he was young Oliver worked as a hatter’s apprentice for four years before attending college at Miami University in Ohio. He studied law in Centerville, Indiana and at law school in Cincinnati, Ohio. Morton began his legal career reading law in the office of Judge Newman of Centerville. Morton was originally a Democrat and opposed to the extension of slavery, but he became one of the organizers of the Republican Party. In 1856, after he joined the Republicans, he was one of three delegates from Indiana that attended that party’s organizational convention in Pittsburgh. In 1856 he was nominated by his new party for the position of governor of Indiana.[4] In 1860 he was elected lieutenant governor on the ticket with Henry S. Lane. He became governor when Lane was elected to the United States Senate. Morton was re-elected in 1864 and served until 1867, in which time he was elected to the United States Senate. He was re-elected in 1873 to the Senate. As Senator he worked for the adoption of the Fifteenth Amendment, was involved in the impeachment of Andrew Johnson, and was a trusted advisor of the Republicans in the South. At the national Republican convention in 1876 he received the second-highest number of votes for the presidential nomination.[4] He was considered a leading Radical Republican during his government career. He died on November 1, 1877. Artist Rudolph Schwarz (June 1840 – 14 April 1912), was an Austrian sculptor who emigrated to Indianapolis in December 1897 to help complete the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument in Indianapolis, Indiana. Quoted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_P._Morton_(monument)
  • Soldiers and Sailors Monument
    Soldiers and Sailors Monument
    Category: Historical; Memorial/Monument; Outdoor Sculpture; Water Feature/Fountain
    The Indiana Soldiers and Sailors Monument is a neoclassical monument built on Monument Circle, a circular, brick-paved street that intersects Meridian and Market streets in the center of downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. In the years since its public dedication on May 15, 1902, the monument has become an iconic symbol of Indianapolis. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 13, 1973 and was included in an expansion of the Indiana World War Memorial Plaza National Historic Landmark District in December 2016. It is located in the Washington Street-Monument Circle Historic District. It is also the largest outdoor memorial in Indiana. The monument was designed by German architect Bruno Schmitz and built over a 13-year period, between 1888 and 1901. The monument’s original purpose was to honor Hoosiers who were veterans of the American Civil War; however, it is also a tribute to Indiana’s soldiers and sailors who served during the American Revolutionary War, territorial conflicts that partially led to the War of 1812, the Mexican–American War, and the Spanish–American War. The monument is the first in the United States to be dedicated to the common soldier. The monument includes several notable figurative sculptures, including Rudolph Schwarz’s two massive limestone groupings representing War and Peace, two smaller scenes named The Dying Soldier and The Return Home, and four military figures at its base representing the artillery, cavalry, infantry, and navy. Three bronze astragals, one by Nikolaus (Nicolaus) Geiger and two others by George T. Brewster, surround the stone obelisk. Additional sculptures in the plaza include John H. Mahoney’s three bronze statues of former Indiana governors George Rogers Clark, William Henry Harrison, and James Whitcomb, as well as Franklin Simmons’s bronze statue of former Indiana governor Oliver P. Morton, which had occupied the site before the monument was built. Brewster’s 30-foot (9.1 m) bronze statue of Victory (also known as Liberty) crowns the obelisk. The Indianapolis monument is approximately 15 feet (4.6 m) shorter than New York City’s 305-foot (93 m) Statue of Liberty. Most of the monument is built from Indiana limestone.  There is an observation deck on the top of the central obelisk accessible via an elevator, and at the base of the obelisk is the Col. Eli Lilly Civil War Museum.
  • The Coal Miner
    The Coal Miner
    Category: Memorial/Monument; Outdoor Sculpture
    The Coal Miner is a public artwork by American artist John J. Szaton (1907–1966) and located on the west lawn of the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. The statue is a copy of a 1964 work by Szaton that was commissioned by the Illinois state legislature in 1963. The sculpture copies a 1946 painting by Vachel Davis, an Illinois Pentecostal minister, journalist, poet, and amateur painter who had worked as a coal miner and was an active champion of coal mining safety. Davis had given the painting to the State of Illinois as part of his efforts to create a monument to Illinois coal miners who had lost their lives on the job; he was acquainted with Szaton and suggested that he be hired as the sculptor. The Indiana memorial was commissioned in 1965 with funds appropriated from the Indiana General Assembly.  It was cast in 1966 and installed in 1967 to commemorate the state’s coal miners who lost their lives in the mining industry. The 7-ft. tall statue rests on a 3-ft. square, granite base supported by a concrete foundation. Both the Illinois and Indiana statues were cast at the Spampinato Art Workshop foundry in Chicago. The Coal Miner, which measures 85 in. x 26 1/2 in. x 28 in., is installed in the northwest corner of the Indiana Statehouse lawn and faces west. The figure wears overalls, boots, a belt, a long-sleeve shirt, and a miner’s hat. He has a contrapposto stance with his proper left foot forward. He carries a miner’s fire safety lamp, or “bug light”, in his proper left hand, which is at his side. His proper right hand is raised, gripping the base of a miner’s pick axe that rests on his proper right shoulder. The shirt-sleeve on his proper right arm is unbuttoned and hangs open on his forearm. The belt hanging at his waist has three visible belt punches. He wears a MSA Comfo Cap Model P miner’s hat with its battery pack clipped to the backside of his belt. The artist’s signature, “John Szaton, Sc.” appears on the proper left side of the base, toward the front. On the proper left side of the base, toward the back, a foundry mark reads, “Cast by Spaminato [sic] Art Foundry Chicago, Ill. 1966”. The square, granite base measure 35 7/8 in. x 35 1/2 in. x 36 in. Its front-facing side has a bronze, bas-relief plaque depicting a drag-line mining crane at work in a strip mine.A cement foundation, 4 to 6 inches thick, supports the base. The plaque on the rear-facing side reads, “Without coal the marvelous social and industrial progress which marks our civilization could not have been achieved. But the production of this vital commodity, so essential to the world’s progress, has cost the lives of thousands of ‘coal miners’ in Indiana. It is to the supreme sacrifice of these men that this memorial is dedicated.” Reproductions of small-scale versions of the monument have been mass-produced; over 200 have been given as gifts by the coal industry over the years. The artist, John J. Szaton, was born in 1907 in Ludlow, Massachusetts of Polish descent. He apprenticed under well-known Illinois sculptor Lorado Taft, who invited Szaton to come to Chicago after meeting him on a lecture tour of various high schools and art schools in Massachusetts. Szaton studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and at the now-defunct National Academy of Art in Chicago. He executed sculptures both for Taft and on his own, continuing to work at Taft’s studio until it disbanded in 1947.  He moved his family to Tinley Park, at that time a small rural suburb of Chicago, and commuted to Chicago to work during the week as a greeting card engraver. The Coal Miner, in all its forms, became his most widely-known sculpture. Szaton died in 1966 and is buried in Cedar Park Cemetery, Calumet Park, Illinois. Read more about the sculpture at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_Miner_(statue) Read more about the artist at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_J._Szaton
  • Thomas Taggart Memorial
    Thomas Taggart Memorial
    Category: Historical; Memorial/Monument; Outdoor Sculpture
    This memorial was named for Thomas Taggart, mayor of Indianapolis from 1895 to 1901, chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 1900 to 1908, president of the French Lick Hotel Co., a United States senator in 1916 and the founder of Riverside Park. The limestone structure is two stories high and features five open bays defined by arched, columnar supports. The open-sided memorial affords views of the river to the west and of the parkway to the east. Historic photos of the Taggart Memorial show a lagoon crossed by a rustic bridge and bordered on the front side by rocks and masses of shrubs and perennials. The memorial is considered a notable neoclassical structure in Center Township and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in March 2003. Local interest and support has spawned a movement to restore the memorial. Designed by C. McCullough (American, architect) and Lawrence V. Sheridan (American, 1887-1972, landscape architect). More info here: http://historicindianapolis.com/sunday-prayers-thomas-taggart-memorial/
  • Vawter Memorial
    Vawter Memorial
    Category: Historical; Memorial/Monument; Outdoor Sculpture; Water Feature/Fountain
    John Terrell Vawter (born January 15, 1830) was a businessman-banker from Franklin, Johnson County, Indiana. He donated the Civil War memorial monument, known as the Vawter Memorial, which features a sculpture by Rudolph Schwarz. The monument is located on the north lawn of the Johnson County Courthouse square in Franklin, Indiana. The memorial features a sculpture of a standing male Union soldier, high atop a pedestal. He holds a rifle in his proper right hand and his proper left hand is shading his eyes as he looks into the distance. Weaponry includes a revolver on the proper right hip, a sword on the proper left hip, and a cartridge box on the belt. On the front of the pedestal in relief is a bronze eagle and a portrait of John T. Vawter, and on the rear is a flag. All four sides have bronze lions’ heads, which issue water into a semi-circular fountain basin. Rudolf Schwarz (June 1866 – 14 April 1912) was an Austrian-born American sculptor. Schwarz emigrated to Indianapolis in December of 1897 to help complete the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument, which was designed by German architect Bruno Schmitz. He lived a simple life, almost secluded, and was not well known by the public. For the last seven years of his life, however, Schwarz created and directed a class in sculpture at the John Herron Art School, now Herron School of Art and Design. Schwarz is known from at least 30 sculptural works throughout the state of Indiana, many of which are war memorials.
  • Veterans Memorial Obelisk
    Veterans Memorial Obelisk
    Category: Historical; Memorial/Monument; Outdoor Sculpture; Water Feature/Fountain
    Veteran’s Memorial Plaza, once known as Obelisk Square, is located immediately north of the Indiana War Memorial. The Obelisk and Fountain rise from the center of the plaza, while flagpoles bearing the flags of each of the 50 United States stand on the east and west sides. Completed in 1930, the park was originally a broad concrete square, but was converted into a landscaped park with trees in 1976 as part of the celebration of America’s Bicentennial. In 2004, the park was again reconfigured to return the ‘line of sight’ aspect of the original architects’ plan. Large ordinance pieces, including tanks and eight World War I German cannons, originally sat at the outside corners of the plaza. During World War II, six of the cannons were melted down for scrap metal. The remaining cannons were moved to new locations when the plaza was converted into a park in the mid-1970s. Centrally located in the plaza are the Obelisk and Fountain. The Obelisk is a 100-foot shaft of black Berwick granite, ornamented at its base with four bronze bas-relief tablets, each four by eight feet. The Obelisk represents “the hopes and aspirations of the nation, a symbol of the power of nature to reproduce and continue the life of the country.” The tablets represent the four fundamentals on which the nation’s hopes are founded: Law, Science, Religion, and Education. They were set into place in the fall of 1929 under the supervision of Henry Hering, the primary sculptor of the plaza. The pinnacle of the Obelisk is covered with gold leaf. The fountain is 100 feet in diameter and made from pink Georgia marble and terrazzo. Henry Hering (1874-1949) was a New York-based architectural sculptor well known for his allegorical figures in traditional Beaux Arts and Art Deco style.  His work can be found in most major U.S. cities. From indianawarmemorials.org
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