Bigelow Monument facts for kids
Bigelow Monument (2020)
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Coordinates | 42°15′44″N 71°48′2″W / 42.26222°N 71.80056°W |
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| Location | Worcester City Hall and Common, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States |
| Designer | George Snell |
| Builder | Granite Railway Company Wentworth and Co. |
| Material | Granite Marble |
| Height | 30 feet (9.1 m) |
| Dedicated to | Timothy Bigelow |
The Bigelow Monument is a public monument in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. This special monument is found in a small cemetery in the middle of Worcester Common. It honors Timothy Bigelow, a brave Patriot who fought in the American Revolutionary War. The monument was officially opened on April 19, 1861. This date was also the 86th anniversary of when the war began.
Contents
History of the Bigelow Monument
Who Was Timothy Bigelow?
Timothy Bigelow was born on August 12, 1739, in Worcester County, Massachusetts. When he grew up, he worked as a blacksmith and had his own shop in Worcester. During the American Revolution, he was a strong supporter of American independence.
He became a colonel in the American Revolutionary War. He led the 15th Massachusetts Regiment. Bigelow is famous for leading minutemen from Worcester during the Battles of Lexington and Concord. These were the very first military battles of the war. He also took part in the Saratoga campaign and spent time at Valley Forge. After the war, he was in charge of the Springfield Arsenal. Timothy Bigelow passed away on March 31, 1790, when he was 51 years old.
Building the Monument
On December 23, 1859, the city council of Worcester decided to allow the monument to be built. Timothy Bigelow Lawrence, who was Bigelow's great-grandson, wanted to put up a monument. It was to be placed right where Timothy Bigelow was buried, in Worcester Common.
Worcester Mayor Alexander Bullock set aside a small area for the monument. A special group was formed to plan the monument's building and its opening ceremony. Many important citizens helped this group. Former Massachusetts Governor Levi Lincoln Jr. was their leader.
The monument was designed by George Snell, an architect from Boston. Two companies worked together to build it. The Granite Railway Company handled the granite parts. Wentworth and Co. of Boston worked with the marble, which came all the way from Tuscany. As part of the building process, Bigelow's body was carefully moved and placed into a new metal casket.
Dedication Ceremony
The official opening ceremony for the monument happened on April 19, 1861. A week before, Mayor Isaac Davis and Governor Lincoln held a small event. They placed several items inside the monument. These included old publications, a piece of wood from the famous Charter Oak tree, and even a lock of hair that belonged to Bigelow.
The dedication ceremony itself was a very big event for the city. Many descendants of Revolutionary War soldiers came to attend. The celebration included a song written by Clark Jillson, sung by a local group. Then, several important people gave speeches. Among them were Timothy Bigelow Lawrence, Mayor Davis, and Governor Lincoln.
It's interesting to note that while this ceremony was happening, soldiers from the Massachusetts militia were involved in conflicts in Baltimore. This was one of the first events of the American Civil War. However, the news of these events did not reach Worcester until after the monument ceremony had finished.
An old history book from 1889 mentions the Bigelow Monument as one of only two memorials on Worcester Common. The other was the Soldiers' Monument.
In 2009, on Mother's Day, a special military drill and wreath laying ceremony was held at the monument. A historian and author named Ray Raphael also gave a presentation there.
Design of the Bigelow Monument
The area where the monument stands is surrounded by an iron fence. The monument itself rests on a granite platform. The monument's architectural style is English Gothic, and it is mostly built from Italian marble.
The base of the monument is four-sided, like a square. It has carvings of ram's heads on each corner. Each side of the base has an inscription:
TIMOTHY BIGELOW
Born
Aug. 12, 1739
Died
March 31, 1790
Quebec
Monmouth
Saratoga
Verplanck's Point
Valley Forge
Yorktown
In memory of
The Colonel of the 15th Massachusetts Regiment
Of the Continental Army
In the War of Independence,
This monument
Is erected by his great-grandson,
Timothy Bigelow Lawrence,
Anno Domini 1861.
Above the base, the monument has carved canopies on its four sides. Above these, the monument changes shape to become eight-sided. A decorative cross sits at the very top of the monument. The entire structure stands about 30 feet (9.1 m) tall.
Images for kids
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Bigelow Monument (2020)
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The monument at its dedication
See also
In Spanish: Monumento a Bigelow para niños
