Dewey Monument facts for kids
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The Goddess of Victory statue atop the Dewey Monument (2010)
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| Coordinates | 37°47′17″N 122°24′27″W / 37.78795°N 122.40755°W |
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| Location | Union Square San Francisco |
| Designer | Robert Ingersoll Aitken, sculptor Newton Tharp, architect |
| Width | 5 ft (1.5 m) |
| Height | 85 ft (25.9 m) |
| Beginning date | 1901 |
| Completion date | 1903 |
| Dedicated to | Admiral George Dewey |
The Dewey Monument is a special statue in San Francisco, California. You can find it right in the middle of Union Square. This monument remembers Admiral George Dewey and his big win in the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish–American War. Building the monument started in 1901, and it was officially opened in 1903.
Contents
The Monument's Story
This monument was built to honor Admiral George Dewey. He was a hero from the Spanish–American War because of his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay.
Groundbreaking and Dedication
On May 23, 1901, President William McKinley visited San Francisco. He helped start the monument's construction by breaking ground. Sadly, President McKinley was assassinated six months later. His vice president, Theodore Roosevelt, then became president.
On May 14, 1903, President Roosevelt officially dedicated the monument. It celebrates Admiral Dewey's victory with the American fleet over Spanish forces. This happened in Manila Bay, Philippines, on May 1, 1898. The monument also honors all the brave sailors of the United States Navy.
The Statue of Victory
Robert Ingersoll Aitken was chosen to sculpt the main statue. It is a 9-foot (2.7-meter) tall figure. This statue represents Nike, the ancient Greek Goddess of Victory. She holds a trident, which stands for Admiral Dewey. She also holds a wreath, which represents President McKinley.
Some stories say that Alma de Bretteville Spreckels posed for the statue. But an article from 1902, written while the monument was being built, said that Aitken's model was Clara Petzold. Clara later became a famous photographer.
Building the Monument
Newton Tharp was the architect who designed the base and the tall column. The whole project cost about $45,000. The column is more than 5 feet (1.5 meters) wide. It stands over 85 feet (26 meters) tall.
The column was put together using many individual blocks. Each block weighed about 40,000 pounds (18,144 kilograms)! To lift these heavy blocks, very long timbers were needed. These timbers, over 100 feet (30 meters) long, were shipped all the way from Oregon. They helped create the special system used to build the monument.
The tall column stands on a square base. Each side of the base has important words carved into it. These carvings tell parts of the story about Admiral Dewey's victory.
- The base of the Dewey Monument
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The American ships at Manila Bay included the Olympia (flagship), Baltimore, Raleigh, Boston, Concord, Petrel, and McColloch. President Theodore Roosevelt dedicated this monument on May 14, 1903. -
Secretary of the Navy John D. Long sent a message to Commodore George Dewey on April 24, 1898. It said: 'War has started between the United States and Spain. Go right away to the Philippine Islands and capture or destroy the Spanish fleet'. -
On the night of April 30, 1898, Commodore Dewey's ships entered Manila Bay. They were not afraid of hidden explosives. They reached Manila by dawn on May 1, 1898. They attacked and destroyed the Spanish fleet of ten warships. They also took control of the forts and held the city until American troops arrived.
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The people of San Francisco built this monument. It celebrates the victory of the American Navy under Commodore George Dewey at Manila Bay on May 1, 1898. President William McKinley broke ground for this monument on May 23, 1901.
