Firemen's Memorial (Manhattan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Firemen's Memorial |
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The Firemen's Memorial in September 2014
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| Year | 1913 |
| Type | Fountain, sculpture, bas relief |
| Medium | Knoxville marble |
| Dimensions | 3.8 m × 11 m × 3.0 m (12.5 ft × 37 ft × 10 ft) |
| Location | New York City, New York, United States |
| 40°47′55″N 73°58′24″W / 40.798637°N 73.973335°W | |
| Website | http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/riverside-park/monuments/482 |
The Firemen's Memorial is a monument built in 1913. You can find it on Riverside Drive at 100th Street in Manhattan, New York. This special place honors firefighters who have died while bravely doing their job.
Contents
Why the Memorial Was Built
Big cities like New York faced many terrible fires long ago. In 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, a huge fire destroyed nearly 500 buildings. More big fires in 1835 and 1845 ruined about 1,000 buildings. These fires also killed 50 people, including many firefighters.
Even as fire safety got better, firefighting remained very dangerous. In 1907, Deputy Fire Chief Charles W. Kruger died while working. He drowned in a flooded basement on Canal Street. After this, Bishop Henry C. Potter suggested building a memorial. It would honor all firefighters who died while on duty.
How the Memorial Was Funded
Bishop Potter started a committee to build the monument. He was the first leader of this group. Later, Isidor Straus, who co-owned Macy's, took over.
The city government, through the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, gave $40,000 for the project. People also donated money, raising an extra $50,500. This showed how much the city appreciated its firefighters.
Where the Memorial Is Located
The memorial was first planned for Union Square. But it ended up being built on Riverside Drive. This area is very fashionable. It runs alongside Frederick Law Olmsted's beautiful Riverside Park.
The monument was designed by architect Harold Van Buren Magonigle. The sculptures were created by Attilio Piccirilli. The site has a grand staircase leading up from the west. There is also a plaza with a balustrade (a fancy railing). The monument itself is made of Knoxville marble.
What the Memorial Looks Like
Above a fountain, which is part of the monument, there is a large bas-relief sculpture. This sculpture shows a horse-drawn fire engine rushing to a fire. On either side of the monument, there are groups of sculptures. These represent "Duty" and "Sacrifice."
Message on the Memorial
On the back of the monument, there is a special message. It reads:
To the men of the fire department
of the city of New York
who died at the call of duty
soldiers in a war that never ends
this memorial is dedicated
by the people of a grateful city
Erected MCMXII
This message honors the firefighters as "soldiers in a war that never ends." It shows how thankful the people of New York City are.
The Artists Behind the Memorial
Harold Van Buren Magonigle
Magonigle was born in New Jersey. He became a very successful architect who designed many monuments. Some of his other famous works include the McKinley Memorial Mausoleum in Ohio. He also designed the Liberty Memorial in Missouri.
Attilio Piccirilli
Piccirilli learned how to carve marble in his father's studio in Italy. He moved to the United States in 1888. Magonigle and Piccirilli had worked together before. They created the USS Maine National Monument in Central Park. Piccirilli even used the same model, Audrey Munson, for the female figures in both monuments.
A separate sculpture by Piccirilli, called Study of a Head, came from his work on the Firemen's Memorial. You can see it in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Meaning in the Sculptures
Art expert Dianne Durante has talked about Piccirilli's sculptures. She compared the northern group of statues to a famous work by Michelangelo. This group shows a woman holding the body of a firefighter. It reminds people of a grieving mother.
Durante also praised the southern group of statues. This one shows the same woman holding a child. It is thought to represent the firefighter's widow and child. She called this scene "wrenching," meaning it's very emotional.
The bas-relief sculpture shows a horse-drawn engine. Durante believes this makes the scene feel more urgent and dramatic. She also noted that the sculptures look timeless. This is because the figures wear simple, classical clothing instead of modern outfits.
Dedication and Special Events
The monument was officially dedicated on September 5, 1913. Every autumn, a ceremony is held at the memorial. This event honors firefighters who have died protecting New York City. The mayor, the fire commissioner, and thousands of firefighters attend.
The ceremony became even more important after the September 11 attacks in 2001. On that day, 343 New York firefighters died while responding to the attacks and collapse of the World Trade Center. In the weeks that followed, the memorial became a special place for remembering these brave firefighters. Now, an annual ceremony is also held at the memorial on September 11 each year.
Honoring Fire Horses
In 1927, a bronze plaque was placed in the plaza near the memorial. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals put it there. This tablet is dedicated to the horses that used to pull the fire department's engines. These horses were also heroes in their own way.
Images for kids
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Southern figures
See also
In Spanish: Monumento conmemorativo a los bomberos (Manhattan) para niños
