Dewey Arch facts for kids
The Dewey Arch as it appeared in 1900.
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| Coordinates | 40°44.53′0″N 73°59.34′0″W / 40.74217°N 73.98900°W |
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| Location | New York, New York |
| Designer | Charles R. Lamb |
| Type | Triumphal arch |
| Material | Staff |
| Length | 70 feet (21 m) |
| Width | 30 feet (9.1 m) |
| Height | 85 feet (26 m) |
| Opening date | September 1899 |
| Dedicated to | George Dewey |
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The Dewey Arch was a huge, temporary arch built in New York City in 1899. It stood in Madison Square in Manhattan for about a year. This grand arch was put up to celebrate Admiral George Dewey, a famous American naval hero. He won a big battle called the Battle of Manila Bay in the Philippines in 1898. The arch was a special part of a large parade held in his honor.
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Why the Arch Was Built
The Dewey Arch was created to celebrate the amazing victory of Admiral George Dewey. In 1898, during the Spanish–American War, Admiral Dewey led the U.S. Navy to a major win at the Battle of Manila Bay. This battle took place in the Philippines. His success made him a national hero.
To honor Admiral Dewey, a huge parade was planned for September 1899 in New York City. People wanted to make this celebration extra special. That's when the idea for a grand triumphal arch came up. A triumphal arch is a large, arch-shaped monument. They are often built to celebrate military victories or important events.
Designing and Building the Arch
Planning for the Dewey Arch started in the spring of 1899. Charles R. Lamb, an architect, gathered support for the idea. He worked with other members of the National Sculpture Society. This group included famous sculptors like Karl Bitter and John Quincy Adams Ward.
They proposed building a large arch to the City of New York. The city approved the plan in July 1899. This left only two months before the big parade! Because of the short time, they decided to build the arch from a special material called staff. Staff is a plaster-based material. It was often used for temporary buildings at big events like World's Fairs.
What the Arch Looked Like
The Dewey Arch was inspired by the Arch of Titus in Rome. It was very detailed and impressive. Many sculptors worked on its decorations. Twenty-eight different artists created sculptures for the arch.
On top of the arch was a large sculpture called a quadriga. This sculpture showed four horses pulling a ship. John Quincy Adams Ward designed this part. At night, the arch was lit up with electric light bulbs. This made it shine brightly for everyone to see.
What Happened to the Arch
The grand parade for Admiral Dewey took place on September 30, 1899. The Dewey Arch was a huge success during the celebration. However, because it was made of staff, it was not meant to last forever.
After the parade, the arch began to wear down. People tried to raise money to rebuild it using stronger materials like stone. This is what happened with the Washington Square Arch in Washington Square Park. But the fundraising effort failed.
So, the Dewey Arch was taken down in 1900, just about a year after it was built. Some of the larger sculptures from the arch were sent to Charleston. They were displayed at an exhibit there. After that, most of these sculptures were either destroyed or lost.
See also
In Spanish: Arco de Dewey para niños
