Thomas Paine Monument facts for kids
The Thomas Paine Monument is a special statue made of bronze in New Rochelle, New York. It honors Thomas Paine, an important person known as a Founding Father of the United States. The monument stands on North Avenue, right where Paine Avenue begins. It's near the Thomas Paine National Historical Association and the Huguenot and Historical Association of New Rochelle. This monument is the oldest one still standing that remembers Thomas Paine. When it was first built in 1839, it was just a marble base. Later, in 1899, a bronze statue of Paine's head and shoulders was added to the top.
Building the Monument
The idea for the monument came from Gilbert Vale, who wrote about Thomas Paine. Many people helped pay for it by giving donations. A sculptor and architect named John Frazee built the first marble part of the monument. It was placed on a small piece of land, surrounded by a stone wall and an iron fence.
Over the years, the monument got damaged. Parts of the words carved into it were hard to read, and some corners were broken. In 1881, a group called the Liberal Club of New York City helped fix it. They smoothed the broken corners and re-carved some of the words. After these repairs, there was a special ceremony on May 30, 1881, to celebrate the monument again.
Adding the Bust and Moving It
The bronze statue of Paine's head, called a bust, was made by sculptor James Wilson Alexander MacDonald. It was given to the Thomas Paine Historical Association and placed on top of the monument in 1899.
Later, North Avenue was made wider, and Paine Avenue became a public street. Because of these changes, the monument had to be moved from its first spot. In 1905, it was placed in its current location in the middle of Paine Avenue. For many years, private groups took care of the monument. But on October 14, 1905, the monument was officially given to the City of New Rochelle, and they accepted it.
The bronze bust of Paine is about 4 feet tall. The marble base is about 10 and a half feet tall. The whole monument sits on a large base that is about 8 inches high.
