Captain Nathan Hale Monument facts for kids
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Captain Nathan Hale Monument
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 120 Lake Street, Coventry, Connecticut |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1846 |
| Built by | Solomon Willard |
| Architect | Henry Austin |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival; Exotic Revival |
| Part of | South Coventry Historic District (ID91000482) |
| NRHP reference No. | 01001531 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | January 28, 2002 |
| Designated CP | May 6, 1991 |
The Captain Nathan Hale Monument is a tall stone pillar, called an obelisk, located in Coventry, Connecticut. It stands about 45 feet (14 meters) high. This monument was built in 1846 to honor Nathan Hale. He was a brave hero from the American Revolutionary War who was born in Coventry.
This monument was one of the very first war memorials built in the United States. It is an important work by the architect Henry Austin and the builder Solomon Willard. Today, the state of Connecticut owns and takes care of the monument. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.
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About the Nathan Hale Monument
The Captain Nathan Hale Monument is found in the village of South Coventry. You can see it at the entrance to the Nathan Hale Cemetery on Lake Street. The monument sits in a grassy area that is slightly raised. A granite wall surrounds this area and also forms part of the cemetery's border.
Monument Design and Materials
The monument is 45 feet (14 meters) tall. It has a square base with steps. Above the base is a section with flat panels. On top of this is a gabled cornice, which is a decorative molding. The main body of the obelisk rises above all of this.
The monument is made from granite stone. This stone came from quarries in Quincy, Massachusetts. These are the same quarries that supplied stone for the famous Bunker Hill Monument. Each side of the panel section has words carved into it. One carving features Nathan Hale's famous quote: "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."
The monument's style is called Greek Revival and Exotic Revival. These styles use elements from ancient Greek and other unique designs.
Building the Monument
The idea for building a monument to Nathan Hale started in 1837. A town committee began to plan it. At first, some people, including the Hale family, did not want a war memorial. They thought it was not proper.
However, the committee kept working on the project. They raised money from private donations and also received state funds. The famous Connecticut architect Henry Austin designed the memorial. Solomon Willard, who owned the Quincy granite quarries, built it in 1846.
The large stones for the monument were shipped to Norwich by train for free. From Norwich, oxen pulled the stones the rest of the way to Coventry. Later, in 1894, a strong retaining wall was built around the monument. This wall was made of very large stones, each about five feet long.
Historical Importance
The Captain Nathan Hale Monument was one of the first large monuments in the United States. It was built to remember a specific person or event. It was completed before the Bunker Hill Monument (finished in 1846) and the Washington Monument (finished in 1885). Many monuments like this were not built until after the American Civil War.
