Soldiers and Sailors Monument (Troy, New York) facts for kids
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| Coordinates | 42°43′53.83″N 73°41′30″W / 42.7316194°N 73.69167°W |
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| Location | Central Troy Historic District, Monument Square, Broadway & 2nd Street |
| Designer | Fuller & Wheeler |
| Height | 93 ft (28 m) |
| Beginning date | May 30, 1890 |
The Soldiers and Sailors Monument is a special war memorial located in Monument Square in Troy, New York. You can find it where Broadway and 2nd Street meet. This monument was built to honor brave people from Rensselaer County. They served in three important wars: the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the American Civil War.
This monument is a key part of the Central Troy Historic District. It helps tell the story of Troy's history.
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What Does the Monument Look Like?
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The monument is very tall, reaching about 93 feet into the sky. It has a large granite column that is 50 feet high. On top of this column stands a beautiful bronze statue called The Call to Arms. This statue is 17 feet tall and shows the Goddess Columbia. She is a symbol of America.
Columbia stands with one foot on a cannonball. In one hand, she holds a sword, and in the other, she has a trumpet. She looks ready to lead.
The Base of the Monument
The bottom part of the monument is made of strong granite. It has a cool design style called Neo-Grec. You can see interesting shapes like scrolls and arches. Four strong supports, called buttresses, hold up the main column.
On the base, there are four special sections. Three of them have a carved laurel wreath. Inside each wreath is a date: "1776," "1812," and "1861-65." These dates mark the years when the three wars began. The fourth section has a dedication message. It says: "To the Men from Rensselaer County who fought for Their Country on Land and Sea."
Bronze Art and History
The monument's base also features amazing bronze pictures. These pictures show different battle scenes. You can see soldiers fighting on foot (Infantry), on horseback (Cavalry), and with cannons (Artillery).
There's also a picture of a sea battle. It shows two famous ironclad warships, The Monitor and The Merrimack. This part has a special connection to Troy. The strong iron plates that covered the USS Monitor were actually made right here in Troy!
Other bronze plaques on the monument list the names of major battles from each war.
Who Designed and Built It?
The Soldiers and Sailors Monument was designed by an architecture company called Fuller & Wheeler. They were based in Albany, New York. The stone for the monument came from a quarry in Quincy, Massachusetts.
The bronze statue of Columbia was created by an artist named James E. Kelly. The bronze battle scenes were made by Caspar Buberl. All the bronze parts were cast, or shaped, by the Henri-Bonnard Bronze Company in New York City.
The monument was first dedicated on September 15, 1891. It was rededicated, or honored again, in September 1991.
Images for kids
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Panorama of Monument Square.
