Soldiers and Sailors Monument
The monument site in 2016
LocationRiverside Park,
Manhattan, New York City
Coordinates40°47′32″N 73°58′44″W / 40.79222°N 73.97889°W / 40.79222; -73.97889
BuiltSeptember 21, 1900 – May 26, 1902 (1902-05-26)
ArchitectStoughton & Stoughton
Part ofRiverside Park and Drive (ID83001743)
NYSRHP No.06101.000383
NYCL No.0932
Significant dates
Added to NRHPSeptember 2, 1983
Designated NYSRHPJuly 12, 1983
Designated NYCLSeptember 14, 1976

The Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Monument is a monument located in Riverside Park, at 89th Street and Riverside Drive, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. It commemorates Union Army soldiers and sailors who served in the American Civil War. It is an enlarged version of the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates in Athens, and was designed by the firm of Stoughton & Stoughton with Paul E. M. DuBoy. The monument was completed in 1902.

History

Early history

The monument was first suggested in 1869.[1] However, little was done to create the monument until 1893 – at a time the memory of the war was fading and there was a wave of nostalgia for the Civil War in the country[1] – when the New York State legislature established a Board of Commissioners for a monument to the soldiers and sailors who had served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.[2] Originally set to be built at Fifty-ninth Street and Fifth Avenue then at Mount Tom (83rd Street and Riverside Drive)[3] the project was delayed for many years because many organizations in the city could not agree on a site for the monument. When the final site was selected, the winning design for the monument had to be redesigned for the new site.[1]

Ground was broken for the monument on September 21, 1900. City Council President Randolph Guggenheimer turned the first spadeful of dirt. About 200 people were present at the ground breaking ceremony.[4] The first stone was laid in January 1901. On the cornerstone was a simple inscription saying that the monument was erected by the citizens of New York.[5] It was finally dedicated on Memorial Day in 1902 with President Theodore Roosevelt officiating. During the dedication, the monument was unveiled following a parade of Civil War veterans up Riverside Drive. The memorial bears the simple inscription: "To the memory of the brave soldiers and sailors who saved the Union". The monument cost $300,000 to erect.[5] Granite quarried from the Lacasse Quarry located at Derby, Orleans County, Vermont, was used in the construction.[6]

The white marble monument was designed after a public competition won by architects Charles and Arthur Stoughton. Their design was known as the "Temple of Fame".[2] The ornamental features were carved by Paul E. M. Duboy (1857–1907), who also was the architect of The Ansonia, an apartment building also on the Upper West Side. Inspired by Greek antiquity, the monument is based on the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates in Athens.[7] The monument takes the form of a peripteral Corinthian temple raised on a high base, with a tall cylindrical rusticated cella, that carries a low conical roof like a lid, ringed by twelve Corinthian columns.[8] Plinths at the entrance to the raised terrace are incised with the names of the New York volunteer regiments and the battles in which they served, as well as Union generals.

Repairs and reconstruction

The monument c. 1908

By 1907, there were already reports by Mayor George B. McClellan Jr., that the Monument was in need of repair. At that time there were marble slabs in danger of falling from their place; three had already fallen. The building badly leaked, cement was constantly falling from the walls and ceiling, and stone was chipped in many places. He requested $20,000 for the repair of the monument.[9]

A large adjustment to the monument took place in the 1930s, when the plaza's yellow brick, which nicely contrasted with the white marble trim, was replaced with the orange-colored stone common to Parks Department projects of the period. However, these have since chipped and are splitting. The memorial was also given a complete coating of protective paraffin, used at that time to preserve the memorial.[10] In 1962, the City spent over $1 million in extensive repairs to the monument, including a new roof, which had deteriorated, and portions of the monument were replaced with more durable granite.

The monument last received substantive maintenance and repairs in 1962, and has slowly deteriorated since.[11] The Parks Department had proposed a $1.2 million restoration in 2002. The effort was to restore the monument's steps and sidewalks.[12] It does not appear this was ever completed, because the effort failed when a private donor pulled out.[13] In July 2005, the New York Times reported "up close the dilapidation is clearly visible. Pave-stones, many damaged by skateboarding and soccer playing, need replacing. The paint covering the many splotches of graffiti is tacky. And the tomblike interior, which is leaking, has long been closed to the public."[11]

In 2007, Gale Brewer, a member of the City Council, committed $650,000 in city money to a redesign of the potholed asphalt plaza south of the monument, with its three Civil War-era cannons. However, that effort bogged down in disagreement on the exact nature of the designs and was never completed.[14] A fence was put up to keep people off the entry stairs because they were in very poor condition in 2008.[15] In March 2014, an attempt to raise $5.5 million was attempted by the Riverside Park Conservancy following a $1.5 million survey done by the park system.[16] The monument currently has many coatings of anti-graffiti paint. The ornamental bronze doorway has been damaged by vandals. At some point the richly sculptured bronze flagpole base, which featured ship forms, wreaths and other elements, was removed. The park system noted, "the monument is awaiting funding to repair loosened joints, chipped stone, and the damage generally wrought by time if not vandalism."[17]

A study performed in 2017 estimated the cost of fully repairing the monument had grown to $36.5 million, and would continue to become more expensive the longer the city government waits. The structure was further fenced and closed to the public after the 2017 inspection found the structure's retaining wall failing. As of 2021, there still has been no funding allocated for repairs.[18]

Landmark status

The monument was designated a New York City landmark in 1976.[19][1][20] The New York Landmark Commission designated the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument a state landmark in 2001.[19]

Design

The central structure of the monument in 2016

The monument was intended to stand at the center of a complex sequence of balustraded formal paved terraces and stairs that would have rationalized the steep natural slopes to north and west, but were eliminated in the execution.[note 1] Its siting at a curve in Riverside Drive makes it visible from a distance, a desirable feature for a monument in the City Beautiful movement, of which this Beaux-Arts monument is a prime example. Originally, there was a planned stairway to the river and a battlemented wall to the south but these were never built. It appears that the area south of the plaza was simply paved, or perhaps treated with pebbles.[7] On the south side of the monument are two mounted cannons. On the west side of the memorial, the back steps to the terraces offer views of the Hudson River.[21]

The monument measures approximately 100 feet (30 m) tall and 50 feet (15 m) deep.[19] The initial design called for the monument to be crowned with a statue of Peace "of heroic size"[22] but this was not done.

The sculptured bronze door at the base of the monument, now kept locked, was originally open to visitors. Currently, the interior is open one day annually at Open House New York. The interior is entirely revetted with the same veined white marble used on the exterior. The interior is in two stages, with six niches in the lower stage, corresponding to the exterior basement, and an upper stage of tall Corinthian pilasters flanking plain panels; above is a ribbed interior dome with a central lantern. The mosaic on the floor is a star centered on a bronze relief medallion of the US arms, with crossed oak and laurel sprays.

The exterior colonnade carries an entablature adorned with a full frieze containing the inscriptions "To the memory of the Brave Soldiers and Sailors Who Saved the Union". A cresting of eagles alternating with cartouches surmounts the cornice. The monument terminates in a low conical roof crowned by a richly decorated marble finial.

The Riverside Park Conservancy maintains the plantings in the area surrounding the monument.

Use

Parades and celebrations

Large Memorial Day celebrations have been centered on this monument. The number of people and interest in the Memorial Day celebrations at this monument have varied greatly and at times have been very significant. On Memorial Day 1907, 16,000 men marched in a Grand Army of the Republic parade.[23] However, in 1910, in a celebration headed by President Taft only 1,500 showed up.[24] In 1911, 20,000 men and 150 organizations took part in the Memorial Day parade.[25] Then in 1914, 9,000 men were noted in the New York Times article, in a parade from 72nd street to the monument.[26] In 1922, the Memorial Day parade attracted 14,000 participants.[27] The numbers dwindled, and events in the 1990s attracted only a few dozen people. After the September 11 attacks, the numbers grew.[28]

Backdrops

In addition to annual Memorial Day celebrations, the monument has been used in scenes and as a backdrop of movies such as The Odd Couple,[29] Godspell and Parting Glances as well as a backdrop to TV shows Law & Order and Sex and the City. It was also known as a "gay cruising area" in the 60's.[30][31] In the mid 1980s the West Side Arts Coalition provided midsummer dance programs on the steps of the monument at 89th street.[32] Since 2004, the monument has served as the home of the Hudson Classical Theater Company.[33] They perform classic plays including Shakespeare works and original plays on the back steps of the monument in summer months.

See also

References

Explanatory notes

  1. ↑ The paved plaza that leads to it was renovated in 1937 and again in 2008; three bronze cannon, each weighing 8508 pounds, are inscribed with their weight, the maker's initials (S.C.L. S. McM. & CO) and the date 1865.

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission; Dolkart, Andrew S.; Postal, Matthew A. (2009). Postal, Matthew A. (ed.). Guide to New York City Landmarks (4th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 149–150. ISBN 978-0-470-28963-1.
  2. 1 2 "Riverside Park Conservancy". Riversideparkfund.org. Archived from the original on September 26, 2012. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  3. ↑ "THE 71ST TO CHOOSE A COLONEL – Major Bates, It Is Believed, Will Be the First Candidate" (PDF). The New York Times. November 1, 1899. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  4. ↑ "WOMAN ACCUSES POLICEMAN. – Mrs. Wise of Brooklyn Says Cashman Insulted Her on the Street" (PDF). The New York Times. September 21, 1900. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  5. 1 2 "Queries and Answers" (PDF). The New York Times. July 10, 1910. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  6. ↑ T. Nelson, The Commercial Granites of New England, USGS Bulletin 738, 1923:101.
  7. 1 2 "New York Architecture Images- Soldiers and Sailors' Monument". Nyc-architecture.com. October 13, 2002. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  8. ↑ White, Norval; Willensky, Elliot; Leadon, Fran (2010). AIA Guide to New York City (5th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 367. ISBN 978-0-19538-386-7.
  9. ↑ "Soldiers' Shaft Damaged – Veterans Ask for Funds to Repair Army and Navy Memorial" (PDF). The New York Times. March 27, 1907. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  10. ↑ Popular Science – Google Books. June 1930. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  11. 1 2 Kugel, Seth (July 10, 2005). "Seeking a Little Respect for a Long-Suffering Monument". The New York Times.
  12. ↑ Kelly Crow (April 21, 2002). "NEIGHBORHOOD REPORT: RESTORATION; Spit and Polish For an Old Soldier – New York Times". Nytimes.com. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  13. ↑ Kugel, Seth (July 10, 2005). "Seeking a Little Respect for a Long-Suffering Monument". The New York Times.
  14. ↑ Mindlin, Alex (January 14, 2007). "Uninviting or Idyllic? A Redesign Airs Old Disputes". The New York Times.
  15. ↑ Manhattan CB7 meeting notes, nyc.gov (January 2, 2008)
  16. ↑ "$5.5M Renovation Sought for Riverside Park Civil War Monument". DNAinfo New York. Archived from the original on November 26, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Riverside Park". nycgovparks.org.
  18. ↑ Small, Zachary (December 29, 2021). "As the Mayor Promised Millions for New Monuments, Old Ones Crumbled". The New York Times. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  19. 1 2 3 Staff (ndg) "Riverside Park Soldiers and Sailors Monument" New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
  20. ↑ "Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument" (PDF). New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. September 14, 1976. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
  21. ↑ "» Getting To Know Riverside Park: The Soldiers' & Sailors' Monument". Myupperwest.com. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  22. ↑ "THE SOLDIERS' MONUMENT - It May Not Be Erected on the Proposed Site on the Plaza. SCULPTURE SOCIETY'S VIEW It Opposes the Erection of Any Memorial at This Approach to Central Park, and Its President Will Not Give His Consent. - View Article - NYTimes.com" (PDF). The New York Times. November 24, 1897. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  23. ↑ "16,000 Men March in G.A.R. Parade – Soldiers and Sailors and the Veterans of Three Wars Applauded" (PDF). The New York Times. May 31, 1907. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  24. ↑ "Taft Coming Here For Memorial Day – Parade of Regulars, Guardsmen, and War Veterans Will Pass in Review Before Him" (PDF). The New York Times. May 29, 1910. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  25. ↑ "Big Parade Planned For Memorial Day – Military and Civic Organizations Will Have 20,000 Men in Line with Grand Army" (PDF). The New York Times. May 28, 1911. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  26. ↑ "Memorial Parade At The River Side – Army of 9,000 to March from 72d Street to the Soldiers and Sailors' Monument" (PDF). The New York Times. May 29, 1914. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  27. ↑ "Whole City To Pay Honor To War Dead – Ceremonies Planned Today for Every Part of New York, with Fair Weather Predicted" (PDF). The New York Times. May 30, 1922. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  28. ↑ Haberman, Clyde (May 31, 2011). "The Day: Renewed Respect for the Military". The New York Times. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  29. ↑ The Odd Couple Film Locations. On the set of New York.com. Retrieved on September 7, 2013.
  30. ↑ The Brutal Attacks on Gay Men in the Ramble – New York Magazine. Nymag.com (July 24, 1978). Retrieved on 2013-09-07.
  31. ↑ George Chauncey, Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the Making of the Gay Male World, p. 182.
  32. ↑ Dougherty, Philip H.. (July 19, 1985) NEW YORK DAY BY DAY – Participatory Dances. NYTimes.com. Retrieved on 2013-09-07.
  33. ↑ "Hudson Classical Theater Company". www.hudsonclassicaltheatercompany.org. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
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