Statue of George Frisbie Hoar facts for kids
George Frisbie Hoar statue (2020)
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Coordinates | 42°15′46.6″N 71°48′07″W / 42.262944°N 71.80194°W |
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| Location | Worcester City Hall and Common, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States |
| Designer | Daniel Chester French Peabody and Stearns (pedestal) |
| Builder | Norcross Brothers (pedestal) |
| Type | Statue |
| Material | Bronze Granite |
| Beginning date | 1907 |
| Completion date | 1908 |
| Dedicated to | George Frisbie Hoar |
The George Frisbie Hoar statue is a special public monument in Worcester, Massachusetts. It stands near the Worcester City Hall. This statue honors George Frisbie Hoar, an important politician from Worcester. A famous artist named Daniel Chester French designed the statue. It was officially shown to the public in 1908.
Contents
History of the Hoar Statue
Who Was George Frisbie Hoar?
George Frisbie Hoar was born in Concord, Massachusetts, on August 29, 1826. When he was 16, he started studying at Harvard College. He finished his studies four years later.
In 1849, he graduated from Harvard Law School. Soon after, he became a lawyer and started working in Worcester, Massachusetts. He served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and the Massachusetts Senate in the 1850s.
From 1869 to 1877, he was a member of the United States House of Representatives. He belonged to the Republican Party. In 1877, he became a U.S. Senator. He held this important job until he passed away in Worcester in 1904.
How the Statue Was Made
After George Frisbie Hoar died, people in Worcester wanted to create a memorial for him. On April 25, 1905, the mayor of Worcester, Walter H. Blodgett, held a meeting. They decided to create a special fund for the memorial.
People started donating money for the statue. In just a few weeks, over 30,000 people gave more than $21,000. This showed how much people respected Hoar.
On July 20, a famous sculptor named Daniel Chester French was chosen to design the statue. The base, or pedestal, for the statue was designed by Peabody and Stearns. It was built by the Norcross Brothers. The best spot for the statue was chosen on January 16, 1908. It was placed on the north side of the Worcester City Hall.
Statue Dedication Ceremony
The statue was officially shown to the public on June 26, 1908. The dedication ceremony started with a prayer. Many important people gave speeches.
These speakers included Mayor James Logan and Massachusetts Governor Curtis Guild Jr.. A judge from the U.S. Supreme Court, William Henry Moody, also gave a speech. The ceremony ended with the song "America".
What the Statue Looks Like
The monument has a bronze statue of George Frisbie Hoar. It sits on a base made of granite. Hoar is shown sitting in a chair. He has an overcoat draped over one arm of the chair. In his other hand, he holds a manuscript, which is like an old document or book.
There are also several bronze plaques with words carved into them on the base. These words tell us more about George Frisbie Hoar.
GEORGE FRISBIE HOAR
BORN IN CONCORD AUGUST 29 1826
DIED IN WORCESTER SEPTEMBER 30 1904
LAWYER SCHOLAR ORATOR STATESMAN
CITIZEN OF WORCESTER
FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY
MEMBER OF MASSACHUSETTS HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES 1852
MEMBER OF MASSACHUSETTS SENATE 1857
CITY SOLICITOR OF WORCESTER 1860
MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES 1869–1877
SENATOR OF THE UNITED STATES 1877–1904
This side lists Hoar's birth and death dates. It also describes his many important jobs. He was a lawyer, a scholar, a speaker, and a statesman. It shows he was a citizen of Worcester for over 50 years. It lists his roles in the Massachusetts House and Senate, as City Solicitor, and in the U.S. House and Senate.
PURITAN AND PATRIOT BY INHERITANCE
UNSULLIED IN CHARACTER
LOVER OF LIBERTY
CHAMPION OF THE OPPRESSED
HIS LIFE EMBODIED THE TRADITIONS OF
MASSACHUSETTS
AND OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE REPUBLIC
HIS HIGH IDEALS ZEAL FOR LEARNING AND
CONSTRUCTIVE STATESMANSHIP
MADE IMPERISHABLE CONTRIBUTIONS
TO A GREAT PERIOD OF AMERICAN HISTORY
THIS STATUE IS RAISED
BY GIFTS FROM THIRTY THOUSAND OF HIS
TOWNSFOLK
THAT THE PEOPLE FOR ALL TIME MAY BE
INSPIRED BY THE MEMORY
OF HIS PERSONAL VIRTUE AND PUBLIC SERVICE
This side talks about Hoar's good qualities. It says he loved freedom and helped those who were treated unfairly. His life showed the values of Massachusetts and the people who founded the United States. His strong beliefs and love for learning helped shape American history. This plaque also mentions that 30,000 people donated money to build the statue. They hoped his memory would inspire others.
"I BELIEVE IN GOD, THE LIVING GOD, IN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, A FREE AND BRAVE PEOPLE, WHO DO NOT BOW THE NECK OR BEND THE KNEE TO ANY OTHER, AND WHO DESIRE NO OTHER TO BOW THE NECK OR BEND THE KNEE TO THEM.
"I BELIEVE THAT LIBERTY, GOOD GOVERNMENT, FREE INSTITUTIONS, CANNOT BE GIVEN BY ANY ONE PEOPLE TO ANY OTHER, BUT MUST BE WROUGHT OUT FOR EACH BY ITSELF, SLOWLY, PAINFULLY, IN THE PROCESS OF YEARS OR CENTURIES, AS THE OAK ADDS RING TO RING. I BELIEVE THAT, WHATEVER CLOUDS MAY DARKEN THE HORIZON, THE WORLD IS GROWING BETTER, THAT TODAY IS BETTER THAN YESTERDAY, AND TOMORROW WILL BE BETTER THAN TODAY."
This side features a famous quote from George Frisbie Hoar. In this quote, he shares his beliefs. He talks about his faith in God and in the American people. He believed that freedom and good government must be earned by each group of people over time. He also believed that the world is always getting better.
Images for kids
