Matthew Fontaine Maury Monument facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Matthew Fontaine Maury Monument |
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The statue c. 1983
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| Artist | Frederick William Sievers |
| Year | 1929 |
| Subject | Matthew Fontaine Maury |
| Condition | Sculpture removed from pedestal; statue removed from sub-pedestal |
| Location | Richmond, Virginia, U.S. |
The Matthew Fontaine Maury Monument was a special statue in Richmond, Virginia. It was located on Monument Avenue. The monument honored Matthew Fontaine Maury. He was known for his work with the Confederate navy. He was also called the "father of modern oceanography." This means he helped us understand oceans and weather at sea. His nickname was "Pathfinder of the Seas."
In July 2020, parts of the monument were taken down. This happened because of protests across the country. These protests were about unfair treatment and police actions.
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Creating the Maury Monument
The monument was designed by Frederick William Sievers. It was officially revealed on November 11, 1929. It stood on Monument Avenue at Belmont Avenue.
Raising Money for the Statue
In 1915, a group called the Matthew Fontaine Maury Association started. Their goal was to build a monument for Maury. They began raising money after World War I. The United Daughters of the Confederacy also helped. The state of Virginia and the city of Richmond each gave $1,000. Even Woodrow Wilson, who was president at the time, joined the effort.
Designing the "Pathfinder of the Seas"
The committee chose Frederick William Sievers to create the statue. Sievers was a sculptor from Richmond. He had made many memorials about the Lost Cause of the Confederacy. This was a belief that the Confederate side in the Civil War was right. His Maury monument was very symbolic. It was unveiled on Armistice Day, November 11, 1929.
The statue showed Maury sitting and facing east. This was towards the Atlantic Ocean. He held a pencil and compass in one hand. In the other, he held his sea charts. Next to his foot was his book, Physical Geography of the Sea. A Bible was also there. This showed how important faith was to Maury.
Behind his head was a globe of the Earth. It was tilted slightly. This globe showed both land and sea. A calm woman stood nearby. She represented Mother Nature. Around the globe's base were people on a sinking boat. This showed the dangers of the sea. On the right side of the globe, there was a farmer, a boy, and a dog. These figures represented Maury's work with land weather services.
Taking Down the Monument
On July 2, 2020, parts of the monument were removed. This happened during a time of unrest in Virginia. The unrest was linked to protests about police actions in Minneapolis. The mayor of Richmond, Levar Stoney, ordered the removal.
Removing the Statue Parts
First, the bronze statue of Maury was taken down. He was shown seated in a chair. This represented a physical challenge he had. This part was removed quickly because it was smaller and easy to reach.
A week later, on July 9, other parts were removed. This included a bronze sculpture higher up. It featured a globe with figures. These figures showed Maury's work with oceans. This removal happened even though there were legal attempts to stop it. People were worried the mayor did not have the power to remove historic monuments.
The statue of Maury and the globe were taken away. However, the base and lower parts of the monument stayed. In October 2020, it was still not clear where the removed statue would go permanently.
