Statue of Samuel Spencer facts for kids
Samuel Spencer statue (2015)
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| Location | 1200 Peachtree Street Atlanta, Georgia |
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| Designer | Henry Bacon Daniel Chester French |
| Fabricator | Piccirilli Brothers |
| Dedicated to | Samuel Spencer |
The Samuel Spencer statue is a special public monument. It is located in Atlanta, Georgia. This statue was put up in 1910. It honors Samuel Spencer. He was a very important person in the railroad business. Samuel Spencer passed away in 1906.
The statue was designed by Daniel Chester French, Henry Bacon, and the Piccirilli Brothers. It first stood in front of Atlanta's old Terminal Station. Over the years, the statue moved a few times. Today, you can find it in front of the Norfolk Southern main office in midtown Atlanta.
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History of the Samuel Spencer Statue
Who Was Samuel Spencer?
Samuel Spencer was a leader in the railroad world. He was the very first president of the Southern Railway. This company later became the Norfolk Southern Railway. Sadly, Samuel Spencer died in a train accident in 1906. This happened on Thanksgiving morning.
Why Was the Statue Built?
After Samuel Spencer passed away, more than 30,000 employees of the Southern Railway wanted to honor him. They all gave money to create a statue. This statue would remember their former president.
The statue was designed by three talented groups. They were Henry Bacon, Daniel Chester French, and the Piccirilli Brothers. The statue was officially shown to the public on May 21, 1910. It was placed in front of the Terminal Station in Atlanta, Georgia.
Five years later, these same artists worked together again. They created the famous statue of Abraham Lincoln. That statue is found at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. It also shows a person sitting down.
Where Has the Statue Been?
The Samuel Spencer statue first stood near the main entrance of Terminal Station. It stayed there until the station closed in June 1970. After that, the statue was moved several times around Atlanta.
On July 3, 1970, the statue was moved. It was placed outside of Peachtree station. This station is in the Brookwood area of Atlanta. It stayed there for many years.
In May 1996, the statue moved again. This was because Atlanta was getting ready for the 1996 Summer Olympics. The statue was moved to Hardy Ivy Park in downtown Atlanta.
The monument moved one last time on May 30, 2009. It was placed in a plaza. This plaza is in front of the Norfolk Southern offices. You can find it on Peachtree Street in midtown Atlanta.
