Francis Asbury (Lukeman) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Francis Asbury
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Washington, D.C.
|
|
| Location | NW. Washington, D.C. |
|---|---|
| Built | 1924 |
| Architect | Henry Augustus Lukeman |
| NRHP reference No. | 07001052 |
| Added to NRHP | October 11, 2007 |
The Francis Asbury Memorial is a famous statue in Washington, D.C.. It shows Francis Asbury riding a horse. Asbury was an important leader of the Methodist church in America. He traveled a lot to spread his beliefs. This statue honors his long journeys and his work in the early United States.
Contents
What Does the Statue Look Like?
This statue is made of bronze. It shows Francis Asbury sitting on his horse. He is wearing a cape and a hat. In his right hand, he holds a bible. The horse is bending its head down as if to lick its front left leg.
The statue sits on a large granite base. The artist, Augustus Lukeman, signed his name and the year "1921" on the side of the sculpture near the bottom.
Messages on the Statue's Base
The front of the base has these words: FRANCIS ASBURY
1745-1816
PIONEER
METHODIST BISHOP
IN AMERICA
The left side of the base says: HIS CONTINUOUS JOURNEY THROUGH CITIES
VILLAGES AND SETTLEMENTS FROM 1771 TO 1816
GREATLY PROMOTED PATRIOTISM EDUCATION MORALITY
AND RELIGION IN THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC
Act of Congress
The right side of the base has this message: IF YOU SEEK FOR THE RESULTS OF HIS LABOR
YOU WILL FIND THEM
IN OUR CHRISTIAN CIVILIZATION
And the back of the base reads: THE PROPHET
OF THE LONG ROAD
How the Statue Was Made
In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson and the United States Congress approved the idea and location for the Francis Asbury Statue. This allowed a new group, the Francis Asbury Memorial Foundation, to start raising money for the statue.
The Foundation chose Mr. Evarts Tracy to design the statue. He was a talented architect from New York. He was also related to Roger Sherman, who signed the American Declaration of Independence.
Mr. Evarts Tracy started designing the statue in 1919. After his design was ready, the Foundation picked the Roman Bronze Works of New York to build the equestrian (horseback) memorial. In 1921, the Roman Bronze Works asked the artist Henry Augustus Lukeman to sculpt the Asbury Statue.
About the Sculptor, Augustus Lukeman
Augustus Lukeman was born in Virginia in 1872. He started sculpting with wood and clay when he was only ten years old. He learned the basics of sculpting at a workshop in New York. He continued to study art for many years.
By the summer of 1924, Augustus Lukeman had almost finished the Francis Asbury Statue.
Dedicating the Statue
On Wednesday, October 15, 1924, at 2:30 PM, thousands of people gathered for the dedication ceremony of the Francis Asbury Statue. Important people from Washington D.C. sat on a special platform.
President Calvin Coolidge gave a speech at the event. He said a famous line about Francis Asbury: "He is entitled to rank as one of the builders of our nation."
Before the ceremony, the statue was covered by two large American flags. This showed how patriotic the event was. The flags on either side of the statue looked amazing, especially with Francis Asbury, who spent most of his life leading people in his adopted country.
Statue Information
The Roman Bronze Works in New York City created the bronze sculpture. The Francis Asbury Memorial Foundation built the statue. The United States Congress approved it on February 29, 1919. It was officially dedicated on October 15, 1924, and cost $50,000.
The Artist
Condition of the Statue
In 1994, experts checked the statue's condition. They said it was "well maintained," meaning it was in good shape.
Gallery
-
Proper right
-
Front
