Tamanend (sculpture) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tamanend, Chief of Delaware Indians |
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| Tecumseh | |
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| Artist | William Luke (1790-1839) |
| Year | 1817 |
| Type | sculpture |
| Medium | wood, then bronze |
| Subject | Figurehead of the USS Delaware |
| Dimensions | 2.4 m × 1.5 m × 1.2 m (96 in × 59 in × 46 in) |
| Location | United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD |
| 38°58′56″N 76°29′02″W / 38.98222°N 76.48389°W | |
| Owner | United States Naval Academy |
| Accession | June 1930 |
Tamanend was a respected Native American chief. A carving of him was used as the figurehead for the USS Delaware ship. A figurehead is a special carving placed on the front of a ship. This wooden carving was made by William Luke in 1817.
In 1861, the Delaware ship was burned at the Gosport Navy Yard. This was done to stop it from being captured by the Confederate forces during the Civil War. Luckily, the figurehead was saved!
In 1868, the saved figurehead, officially called Tamanend, Chief of Delaware Indians, was moved. It went to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was placed outside on a stand. People simply called it "the figurehead of the Delaware."
Over time, the wooden statue needed care. In 1906, it was fixed using cement, putty, and paint. Later, in 1930, a new bronze version was made. This bronze statue was a gift from the Naval Academy's class of 1891. It was created at the U.S. Naval Gun Factory between 1929 and 1930.
Contents
The statue shows Chief Tamanend wearing three feathers on his head. He also has a quiver full of arrows on his back. The bronze statue sits on a tall, square base. It is a copy of the original wooden figurehead.
The first wooden carving by William Luke was fixed again in 1970. You can now see it at the Academy's visitor center. When the bronze statue was made in 1930, parts of the original wooden statue were placed inside it. This was done to keep a connection to the original.
Over the years, the statue became known by a different name: Tecumseh. It is placed on a base made of Vermont marble. You can find it right in front of Bancroft Hall. The statue measures about 96 inches tall, 59 inches wide, and 46 inches deep. The area between the statue and Bancroft Hall is called Tecumseh Court.
Messages on the Statue
The statue has some important messages carved into its base. These inscriptions tell us about its history.
Front Base Inscription
On the front of the statue's base, it says:
FIGUREHEAD
OF THE
USS
DELAWARE
1817
BRONZE REPLICA
GIFT OF THE
CLASS OF 1891
This tells us it's a copy of the USS Delaware figurehead from 1817. It also shows it was a gift from the class of 1891.
Rear Base Inscription
On the back of the bronze base, you can read:
U.S. Naval Gun Factory
Navy Yard Washington, D.C.
1929
This shows where and when the bronze statue was made.
The statue, now widely called Tecumseh, is very important to the students. They call it the "God of 2.0." This refers to 2.0 being the lowest passing grade point average at the Academy.
Midshipmen have a fun tradition. They toss pennies at the monument for good luck. They do this before their exams and before big sports competitions. This includes the famous Army-Navy games.
There is also a long-standing tradition for the 9th company of midshipmen. They paint the Tamanend statue before every major event. This includes Parents' Weekend in August and Homecoming in the fall. They also paint it before Army-Navy contests and for Commissioning Week in May.
