Statue of William McKinley (Chicago) facts for kids
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William McKinley statue (c. 1905)
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| Location | McKinley Park, Chicago, Illinois, United States |
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| Designer | Charles Mulligan |
| Material | Bronze |
| Dedicated to | William McKinley |
The William McKinley statue is a large statue of William McKinley in Chicago, Illinois, United States. It stands in the McKinley Park area. The artist Charles Mulligan created the statue, and it was officially opened in 1905. This monument honors McKinley, who was an important leader for the country.
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The Story of the McKinley Statue
Who Was William McKinley?
William McKinley was an American politician. He became the 25th President of the United States in 1896. He was a very important leader for the country. Sadly, he passed away in 1901 while visiting a big fair in Buffalo, New York.
Creating McKinley Park
After President McKinley's death, many people across the country felt very sad. In Chicago, city leaders decided to honor him. They bought the land where the old Brighton Park Race Track used to be. They turned this land into a beautiful new park called McKinley Park.
Building the Statue
In 1902, the park officials decided that a statue of President McKinley should be placed in the new park. To save money, they came up with a clever idea. They decided to use an old statue of Christopher Columbus. This Columbus statue had been in Grant Park for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. People had not liked how the Columbus statue looked, and it was moved to storage by 1897.
Even though a town in Wisconsin offered to take the old Columbus statue, Chicago officials chose to melt it down. They used 10 tons of bronze from that statue to create the McKinley statue. This helped them save a lot of money. The cost went from $6,000 down to $3,500.
Statue Dedication Day
The new McKinley monument was designed by the talented sculptor Charles Mulligan. It was officially opened on July 4, 1905. This day is also America's Independence Day. A federal judge named Peter S. Grosscup gave a speech at the special ceremony. The statue has stood in McKinley Park ever since, reminding people of President McKinley.
