James Garfield Memorial, Philadelphia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
James Garfield Memorial

Coordinates	39°58′26″N 75°11′26″W / 39.9739°N 75.1905°W / 39.9739; -75.1905
Designer	Sculptor: Augustus Saint-Gaudens Architect: Stanford White
Material	Sculpture: bronze Base: granite
Height	Bust: 3.6 ft (1.1 m) Base: 17 ft (5.2 m)
Beginning date	Commissioned: 1885 Cast: 1895
City of Philadelphia Fairmount Park Commission

The James Garfield Memorial is a monument honoring the 20th President of the United States in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens and architect Stanford White collaborated on the memorial, which was completed in 1896. It is located in Fairmount Park, along Kelly Drive, near the Girard Avenue Bridge.

History

President Garfield was shot by an assassin in Washington, D.C. on July 2, 1881, and died of his wounds at the White House on September 19. Later that year, the Fairmount Park Art Association initiated a fundraising campaign to erect a monument to him in Philadelphia. This was the second monument to be commissioned by the Association, which selected Augustus Saint-Gaudens in 1889 to design and create the work.

Cast in 1895, the monument was formally dedicated on May 30, 1896 by Mayor Charles F. Warwick. The dedication ceremony included a grand river fete with parades and a flotilla along the Schuylkill River.

The monument is one of 51 sculptures included in the Association for Public Art's Museum Without Walls: AUDIO™ interpretive audio program for Philadelphia's outdoor sculpture.

1896 Description

The Garfield Memorial.
Between the pilasters of granite is the figure of a woman in bronze, of heroic size—typical of America—young, strong, dignifed, holding in her hand the sword and palm, symbolic of Garfield's life, and bearing his name on the shield which she holds in front of her. Surmounting four square granite pilasters is the BUST of Garfield, of heroic size.
Pedestal.
The main pedestal is four feet wide, three feet deep, and seventeen feet high, resting upon a base projecting to carry the emblematic figure.
The main pedestal is flanked by four square Ionic pilasters. The material is pink Milford granite, and the style of the pedestal is pure Greek.

Inscription

The inscriptions read:

A. ST GAUDENS '95

Cast by the Henry-Bonnard Bronze Co.,

NY 1895

(Front of shield held by figure of the Republic:)

E PLVRIBVS

VNVM

JAMES ABRAM

GARFIELD

PRESIDENT OF THE

VNITED STATES

MDCCC

LXXXI

(Base, above the Republic's head:)

MDCCCXXXI

MDCCCLXXXI

(Base, below bust:)

MDCCCXCB

The Fairmount Park Art Association plaque appears on the lower front of the sculpture's base.