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 |
| Length | 81 inches (2.1 m) |
| Width | 81 inches (2.1 m) |
| Height | 20 feet (6.1 m) |
| Dedicated to | Timothy Bigelow |
The Bigelow Monument is a special stone structure in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. You can find it in a small cemetery right in the middle of Worcester Common. This monument honors Timothy Bigelow. He was a brave Patriot who fought during 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
The Story of the Bigelow Monument
Who Was Timothy Bigelow?
Timothy Bigelow was born in Worcester County, Massachusetts, on August 12, 1739. When he grew up, he worked as a blacksmith and had his own shop in Worcester, Massachusetts. During the American Revolution, he was a strong supporter of American independence.
He became a colonel in the American Revolutionary War. Colonel Bigelow led the 15th Massachusetts Regiment. He is famous for leading local minutemen from Worcester. They fought in the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which were the very first battles of the war. He also took part in important events like the Saratoga campaign and the difficult winter at Valley Forge. After the war, he was in charge of the Springfield Arsenal. He passed away on March 31, 1790, at 51 years old.
Building the Monument
On December 23, 1859, the city council in Worcester decided something important. They allowed Timothy Bigelow Lawrence, who was Bigelow's great-grandson, to build a monument. This monument would be placed right over Timothy Bigelow's burial spot 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 construction and dedication. Many important citizens helped this group. Former Massachusetts Governor Levi Lincoln Jr. was their leader.
In March 1861, the group asked George Bancroft, a famous historian from Worcester, to give a speech. He couldn't because he wasn't feeling well. As part of building the monument, Bigelow's body was carefully moved. It was placed into a new metal casket.
The monument itself was designed by George Snell. He was an architect from Boston. Two companies worked together to build it. The Granite Railway Company handled the granite parts. The marble came all the way from Tuscany, Italy. Wentworth and Co. of Boston worked with the marble.
The Dedication Ceremony
The monument was officially dedicated on April 19, 1861. This was a very special day. The Friday before, Mayor Isaac Davis and Governor Lincoln held a small ceremony. They placed several items inside the monument. These included old papers, a piece of wood from the Charter Oak, and a lock of hair from Timothy Bigelow.
The dedication ceremony was one of the biggest gatherings in Worcester at the time. Many descendants of Revolutionary War soldiers came to celebrate. A local glee club sang a song written by Clark Jillson. Then, several important people gave speeches. These speakers included Timothy Bigelow Lawrence, Mayor Davis, Governor Lincoln, and members of the Bigelow family.
Interestingly, while this celebration was happening, soldiers from the Massachusetts militia were involved in fighting. This happened during the Baltimore riot of 1861. This event was one of the first conflicts of the American Civil War. News of this fighting didn't reach Worcester until after the ceremony ended.
In 2009, on Mother's Day, a special military ceremony was held at the monument. It included a military drill and a wreath laying. Historian Ray Raphael also gave a presentation.
Monument Design
The area where the monument stands is surrounded by an iron fence. The monument rests on a square granite platform. This platform measures about 9 feet (2.7 meters) on each side. The square base of the monument is about 81 inches (2.06 meters) wide.
A time capsule is buried beneath the monument. It holds documents about Bigelow and life during the colonial era. The monument's style is English Gothic. It is mostly built from Italian marble. The pedestal has four sides. Each corner has carvings of ram's heads. Each face of the pedestal 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 pedestal, the monument has carved canopies on its four sides. Above these, the monument becomes octagonal (eight-sided). When it was first built, the monument was topped with a decorative cross. Its total height was about 30 feet (9.1 meters). However, some parts of the upper section were later replaced with shorter stones. Today, the monument stands about 20 feet (6.1 meters) tall.
Images for kids
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Bigelow Monument (2020)
See also
In Spanish: Monumento a Bigelow para niños
