Soldiers' Monument (Worcester, Massachusetts) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Soldiers' Monument
City of Worcester Parks, Recreation, and Cemetery Department
Soldiers' Monument, circa 1910. Note the rough-granite base (now buried).
For the Sons of Worcester who died in the Civil War.
Unveiled	July 15, 1874
Location	42°15′44″N 71°48′00″W / 42.262224°N 71.8°W / 42.262224; -71.8 (Soldiers Monument) near  Worcester City Hall and Common Worcester, Massachusetts
Designed by	Randolph Rogers, sculptor.

The Soldiers' Monument in Worcester, Massachusetts, is a special memorial. It stands on Worcester Common. This monument honors the brave soldiers from Worcester who died during the American Civil War.

A famous sculptor named Randolph Rogers designed this impressive structure. It has a tall, tapering granite column. On top of the column is a bronze statue of the goddess of Victory. The monument also has a base with three levels. This base is decorated with bronze plaques and statues.

What the Monument Looks Like

The Soldiers' Monument is a tall and detailed structure. It stands as a tribute to the past.

Main Parts of the Monument

The monument has several key parts that make it unique:

• Column and Goddess: A tall, granite column reaches towards the sky. At its very top is a bronze statue of the goddess of Victory. She represents triumph and honor.
• Pedestal and Statues: Below the column is a large, three-tiered granite base. This base is called a pedestal. Four bronze statues stand on the pedestal. They represent different parts of the military:
  • Artillery (soldiers who use cannons)
  • Cavalry (soldiers who fight on horseback)
  • Infantry (soldiers who fight on foot)
  • Navy (sailors who fight at sea)
• Hidden Base: The entire monument used to sit on a rough granite base. This base also had four old cannon barrels. Today, this lowest part is buried underground.

Detailed Decorations

The pedestal of the monument is covered with interesting details:

• Top Level: This part has four special plaques. They show important symbols:
  • The official seal of the City of Worcester.
  • The official seal of the state of Massachusetts.
  • The official seal of the United States.
  • A design of crossed swords surrounded by a laurel wreath. A laurel wreath is a symbol of victory.
• Middle Level: Here, you can see busts (sculptures of heads and shoulders) of two important leaders:
  • Abraham Lincoln, who was the U.S. President during the Civil War.
  • John Albion Andrew, who was the Governor of Massachusetts at that time.

This level also shows a scene of a dying soldier being helped by a friend. There is also a plaque that explains why the monument was built.

• Bottom Level: This lowest part of the pedestal has four plaques. These plaques list the names of 398 soldiers from Worcester. These are the brave people who died fighting in the Civil War.

Building the Monument

The idea for the Soldiers' Monument started in 1871. A group called the Soldiers' Monument Committee asked Randolph Rogers to design it.

Funding and Construction

Building such a large monument cost a lot of money.

• The City of Worcester provided $35,000 for the project.
• Another $15,000 was raised by people giving money. This shows how much the community wanted to honor their soldiers.

The monument was officially finished and shown to the public on July 15, 1874.

Changes Over Time

When it was first built, the monument was about 66 ft 0 in (20.12 m) tall. Its base was about 24 ft 0 in (7.32 m) square. However, the ground level around the monument was raised in 1969. This change buried the rough granite base. Because of this, the monument now appears about 4 ft 0 in (1.22 m) shorter than it originally was.

Dedication Message

The monument has a special message carved into one of its plaques. It reads:

This message explains that the people of Worcester built the monument. It honors their sons who died to keep the United States united during the Civil War, which happened between 1861 and 1865.

Images for kids

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  Soldiers' Monument in 2009.

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  Goddess of Victory.

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  Infantry.

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  Navy.

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  Cavalry.

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  Artillery.

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  Dedication plaque.