Monument of States facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Monument of States
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Monument of States
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 Monument of States
Location in Florida
Monument of States
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Kissimmee, Florida |
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| Built | 1943 |
| Architect | Charles W. Bressler-Pettis, J. C. Fisher |
| NRHP reference No. | 15000862 |
| Added to NRHP | December 8, 2015 |
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The Monument of States is a special tower located in Kissimmee, Florida. It was built to show how united Americans were after the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II. Volunteers built it using rocks and stones donated from all over the world, even one from President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Dr. Charles W. Bressler-Pettis had the idea for this monument. He wanted it to be a unique place that would attract visitors to Kissimmee.
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Building the Monument of States
When the Empire of Japan attacked the United States on December 7, 1941, Charles W. Bressler-Pettis was a retired doctor living in Florida. He led a club for older adults called the Kissimmee All-States Tourist club. Dr. Pettis had served in the military during World War I.
He came up with an idea to build a special monument in Kissimmee. He hoped it would bring Americans together after the attack. Dr. Pettis also wanted to create a unique attraction to draw tourists to the city.
Design and materials
Dr. Pettis worked with his friend J. C. Fisher to design the monument. They planned for it to include a rock from every state. The monument ended up looking like a step-pyramid. It weighs about 100,000 pounds and has 3 ½ tons of steel rails inside to make it strong.
At the very top of the monument, there is an American eagle and a flag of the United States. They rest on a blue concrete ball. Some people think Dr. Pettis might have been inspired by the Fireplace of States in Bemidji, Minnesota. That fireplace was built in the 1930s using stones from the 48 states that existed at the time.
Volunteer construction efforts
The Monument of States was built entirely by volunteers. Most of them were senior citizens from Dr. Pettis's travel club. Dr. Pettis wrote letters to the governors of each state, asking for rock donations.
Local governments, community groups, businesses, and people living nearby also gave their time and materials. For example, 507 people each donated a bag of cement. The names of those who helped build the monument in Kissimmee are written on the sidewalk next to it.
Dr. Pettis himself had collected thousands of rocks during his travels, and he donated many of them. President Franklin D. Roosevelt even sent a rock from his home in New York. By the time the monument was finished in 1943, it had 1,500 stones and objects from all over the world. Florida's United States Senator Claude Pepper officially dedicated the monument.
When Dr. Pettis passed away in 1954, Kissimmee changed its rules to allow some of his remains to be placed inside the monument. A special plaque honoring him was also added.
Restoration and recognition
After Walt Disney World opened in Orlando in 1971, fewer tourists visited Kissimmee. Because of this, the Monument of States was not taken care of and started to fall apart.
However, on March 28, 1993, the city of Kissimmee held a new dedication ceremony for the monument. They also placed a time capsule inside it. In 2001, the American Automobile Association (AAA) helped to restore and fix up the monument.
The Monument of States was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 8, 2015. This means it is recognized as an important historical site.
