Soldiers and Sailors Monument (Syracuse, New York) facts for kids

The Soldiers and Sailors Monument is a special monument in Syracuse, New York. It was built between 1908 and 1911. This monument honors the 12,265 brave men from Onondaga County who served in the American Civil War.

The monument was designed by an architect named Clarence Blackall. It also features two amazing bronze sculptures. These sculptures are called The Call to Arms and An Incident at Gettysburg. They were created by Cyrus Dallin. You can find this monument in Clinton Square, which used to be right next to the Erie Canal.

What is the Soldiers and Sailors Monument?

The monument is about 75 feet (22.86 meters) tall. It has a square granite base called a pylon. At each corner of this pylon, there are Ionic columns, which are a type of fancy pillar. These columns hold up a heavy top part called a cornice, which has cool carvings on it.

On top of the monument, there's a globe. Four eagles guard this globe, holding a thick garland (a decorative wreath). The whole structure sits on a large base called a plinth. Around the monument, there's a stepped area with corner pillars that hold bronze lampposts.

Art and Messages on the Monument

The east and west sides of the pylon have detailed bronze sculptures by Cyrus Dallin. These are called high-relief sculptures, meaning they stick out from the surface. The north and south sides show granite carvings of flags and military gear.

The plinth (the base) has special plaques. These plaques include messages dedicating the monument. There's also a famous quote from President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.

The Sculptures: Stories in Bronze

Cyrus Dallin won a competition to create the two large bronze sculptures for the monument. Famous sculptors like J. Q. A. Ward and Daniel Chester French were among the judges.

An Incident at Gettysburg: A Heroic Moment

One of the sculptures is called An Incident at Gettysburg. It shows a real event from the Civil War. A soldier from Syracuse, Color Sergeant William C. Lilly, was fighting in the 149th New York Infantry. During a fierce battle, his flagstaff broke. Sergeant Lilly paused in the middle of the fight to fix it using his belt! He survived the Battle of Gettysburg. Sadly, he was killed later in the war.

A Look Back in Time: The Monument's History

The first stone of the monument was placed on Memorial Day, May 31, 1909. The monument was officially dedicated on June 21, 1910. However, only one of Dallin’s sculptures, The Call to Arms, was ready then.

Delays and Final Touches

Dallin's assistant, Frederick MacMonnies, was supposed to oversee the casting of the other sculpture, An Incident at Gettysburg, in France. But he got married and went on his honeymoon instead! Because of this delay, The Incident at Gettysburg was dedicated later, on June 23, 1911.

Changes to the Area Around the Monument

The part of the Erie Canal in Syracuse was filled in and paved over in 1925. This created a new road called Erie Boulevard. The monument originally had a large granite plaza around it. This plaza measured 50 feet (15.24 meters) by 150 feet (45.72 meters).

In the 1930s, parts of the plaza were removed. They were replaced with landscaping. In 2001, a reflecting pool was built next to the monument. This pool follows the old path of the canal. In warm weather, it has fountain jets. In winter, it turns into an ice-skating rink!

Images for kids

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  Monument in a 1910 postcard.

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  The Call to Arms by Dallin.

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  An Incident at Gettysburg by Dallin.

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  Monument (with original plaza) and Erie Canal in a 1917 postcard.

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  Monument and reflecting pool, 2013.