Harvey S. Firestone Memorial facts for kids
The Harvey S. Firestone Memorial is a large sculpture in Akron, Ohio. It honors Harvey Firestone, who was a very important businessman. He founded the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. This special memorial was created by two sculptors, James Earle Fraser and Donald De Lue. It was designed by architect Eric Gugler and officially opened on August 3, 1950. You can find it in Akron, Ohio, next to the Firestone company's research building.
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Creating the Memorial
The idea for a monument to Harvey Firestone in Akron started soon after he passed away in 1938. However, World War II put the project on hold for a while. Even during the war, in 1944, discussions continued about where the memorial should be placed.
A Special Design
During these talks, the Firestone company wanted more than just a simple statue of Harvey Firestone. They wanted the memorial to tell a story. So, the architect Eric Gugler came up with the idea of adding special panels. These panels would show allegories, which are like symbolic stories or ideas, carved in a style called bas relief. Bas relief means the carvings stick out only a little from the background. These panels were planned for a curved wall behind the main statue.
The Sculptors at Work
As the project moved forward, the main sculptor, James Earle Fraser, found the work very demanding. He was getting older, and creating the large seated figure was hard. His wife, Laura Gardin Fraser, who was also a sculptor, helped him. Another sculptor, Donald De Lue, also joined the team.
The dedication ceremony for the memorial was planned for the 50th anniversary of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. But as the date got closer, it became clear that the bronze statue wouldn't be ready in time. So, Fraser suggested using a painted plaster version of the statue instead. Most people didn't know this secret! Firestone's five sons saw the plaster statue at the unveiling. The real bronze statue was quietly put in place later.
The Allegorical Panels
Donald De Lue became involved in the project to create the special panels. He made six allegorical relief panels for the back of the curved wall. These panels show different ideas: Contemplation, Invention (also called Inspiration), The Hours, The Years, Leadership, and Fruition (also called Achievement). Each panel tells a part of the story of progress and success.
Challenges and Vandalism
Even though the Harvey S. Firestone Memorial is a very important work by James Earle Fraser, it's not as well-known as some of his other sculptures. Sometimes, people have misunderstood who created which parts of the memorial.
Sadly, at some point before 2013, Donald De Lue's relief panels were damaged. Parts like noses, fingers, and toes were broken off the granite figures. These were the parts that stuck out the most from the carvings.
