State of Pennsylvania Memorial
© Michael Kendra, April 2002.
MONUMENT PROFILE
Battlefield: Gettysburg National Military Park, Pennsylvania
Location: At triangular block of Hancock, Humphreys,
and Pleasanton Aves
Map Coordinates: +39° 48' 27.72", -77° 14' 6.36"
Men Engaged at Gettysburg from Pennsylvania: 23,410
Gettysburg Casualties from Pennsylvania: 5,885 or 25%
MONUMENT DETAILS
Proposed by: Senator Andrew G. Curtin in the 1880s
He advocated for a "Pennsylvania Memorial Hall" to be built atop Little Round Top.
The proposed building was included in an 1889 state appropriations bill, that was vetoed by Governor James A. Beaver
Approved by: The Pennsylvania Legislature in 1909
They also appropriated $150,000 for construction of the memorial in February 1909
That present location for the monument was also chosen at that time.
Scheduled Completion Date: July 1, 1910
Architect: W. Liance Cotrell
Sculpter: Samuel A. Murray
Contractors: Harrison Granite Co.
Dedicated: Sept. 27, 1910
Military statues installed: April 1913
Memorial rededicated: July 4, 1913
Dimensions: Height 110 ft. x Width 100 ft. on each side
Monument Weights: (Estimates made by Inspector of Construction - James G. Mitchell)
Cut Granite Stone: 1,252 tons
Broken Stone: 1,410 tons
Sand: 740 tons
Cement: 366 tons
Steel Bars: 50 tons
Bronze: 22 tons
Total Weight: 3,840 tons
Cost: $189,650.00 (1910-1913)
Bronze Sculptures:
Goddess of Victory and Peace (1909–10) by Samuel Murray, atop the monument's dome
Height: 21 ft
Weight: 7,500 lb
Portrait statues:
Pres. Abraham Lincoln (1911–1913) by J. Otto Schweizer, west side
Gov. Andrew Curtin (1911–1913) by William Clark Noble, west side
Gen. George Meade (1911–1913) by Lee Lawrie, north side
Gen. John F. Reynolds (1911–1913) by Lee Lawrie, north side
Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock (1911–1913) by Cyrus Edwin Dallin, east side
Gen. David McMurtrie Gregg (1911–1913) by J. Otto Schweizer, east side
Gen. Alfred Pleasonton (1911–1913) by J. Otto Schweizer, south side
Gen. David B. Birney (1911–1913) by Lee Lawrie, south side
Number of Bronze Tablets: 84
Tablet Size: 34 inches wide by 72 inches tall
Number of Names Cast into Tablets, from Pennsylvania, who participated at Gettysburg:
2,133 Officers
32,114 Enlisted Men
Description:
The Pennsylvania State Memorial consists of four huge archways topped by a dome adorned with a bronze female figure representing the Goddess of Victory and Peace. In her proper right hand she holds up a sword and in her proper left hand she holds a palm leaf of peace.
Above each archway are granite monoliths containing battle scenes honoring the four branches of the service. And in the spandrels flanking each archway are classical maidens, each holding either a trumpet or a wreath of victory. Eight bronze statues of military figures are installed in niches on either side of the archways.
- Remarks:
In 1907, $150,000 was appropriated to erect a suitable memorial to honor all Pennsylvanians who participated in the battle at Gettysburg. The design submitted by architect W. Liance Cottrell was selected and the Harrison Granite Company was chosen to execute the design. Construction on the memorial began in the summer of 1909.
However, at the time of the dedication on Sept. 27, 1910, the eight portrait statues Cottrell envisioned for the niches on either side of each archway were missing due to the lack of funds. In the year following the dedication, an additional $40,000 as appropriated to create the statues, and the Van Amringe Granite Company as given the contract. The statues were cast at the Gorham Manufacturing Company and were installed in April of 1913.
Standing 110 feet high, the State of Pennsylvania monument is made of North Carolina granite set over an iron and concrete frame. Its base is lined with ninety bronze tablets listing the Pennsylvania regiments and batteries and the names of over 34,000 Pennsylvanians who participated in the battle.
Bronze statues of Pennsylvania generals George Meade, John Reynolds, Winfield Scott Hancock, David Birney, Alfred Pleasonton and David Gregg, Governor Andrew Curtin, and President Lincoln flank each of the arches.
A staircase carries visitors to the roof of the monument, which enjoys a panoramic view of the battlefield. Topping the dome is the figure of Winged Victory by sculptor Samuel Murray.
CEREMONIES OF THEDEDICATION OF THE PENNSYLVANIA MEMORIAL
Gettysburg, September 27, 1910
Pennsylvania at Gettysburg
books.google.com
MONUMENT TEXT
THE
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
IN HONOR OF HER SONS WHO
ON THIS FIELD FOUGHT FOR THE
PRESERVATION OF THE UNION
JULY 1, 2, & 3, 1863
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
IN HONOR OF HER SONS WHO
ON THIS FIELD FOUGHT FOR THE
PRESERVATION OF THE UNION
JULY 1, 2, & 3, 1863
PENNSYLVANIA AT GETTYSBURG
69 REGIMENTS OF INFANTRY
9 REGIMENTS OF CAVALRY
7 BATTERIES OF ARTILLERY
TOTAL PRESENT 34,530
KILLED AND MORTALLY WOUNDED 1182
WOUNDED 3137 - - MISSING 860
69 REGIMENTS OF INFANTRY
9 REGIMENTS OF CAVALRY
7 BATTERIES OF ARTILLERY
TOTAL PRESENT 34,530
KILLED AND MORTALLY WOUNDED 1182
WOUNDED 3137 - - MISSING 860
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
Cottrell & Murray's plaster model, circa 1909.
Pennsylvania Monument under construction, c.1910
Gettysburg Times Photo
Victory & Peace Statue, Pres. Abraham Lincoln, Gov. Andrew Curtin, Gen. George Meade, & Gen. John Reynolds, ©Michael Kendra
Monument Restoration, ©Michael Kendra, May 4, 2002
Victory & Peace Statue, After Cleaning & Waxing, NPS Photo
Winter Sunrise, Jan 2019, NPS Photo
-
Pennsylvania State Monument: The Front Side | Gettysburg Daily
The south and west sides of the Pennsylvania State Monument. We previously showed some details[...]www.gettysburgdaily.com -
Pennsylvania State Monument: North Side | Gettysburg Daily
The north and west sides of the Pennsylvania State Monument, which was dedicated on September[...]www.gettysburgdaily.com -
Pennsylvania State Monument: The South Side | Gettysburg Daily
The east and south sides of the Pennsylvania State Monument. We previously showed some details[...]www.gettysburgdaily.com -
Pennsylvania State Monument: The East Side | Gettysburg Daily
The north and east sides of the Pennsylvania State Monument. We previously showed some details[...]www.gettysburgdaily.com -
Pennsylvania State Monument Panorama: June 2010 | Gettysburg Daily
Here is a panorama from the northwest corner of the Pennsylvania Monument. The Round Tops[...]www.gettysburgdaily.com -
Pennsylvania Memorial Historical Marker
(A historical marker located near Gettysburg in Adams County, Pennsylvania.)www.hmdb.org -
State of Pennsylvania Monument at Gettysburg
The State of Pennsylvania Monument at Gettysburg, with photos of the statues and other monument details, text from the monument and map location.gettysburg.stonesentinels.com
citation information
The following information is provided for citations.
Article Title: | State of Pennsylvania Memorial |
Authors: | ★ CivilWarTalk |
Website Name: | CivilWarTalk.com |
URL: | https://civilwartalk.com/threads/state-of-pennsylvania-memorial-gettysburg.165443/ |
Publisher: | CivilWarTalk, LLC |
Original Published Date: | June 1, 2021 |
links to state and national monuments, and nearby landmarks
Located at Gettysburg National Military Park, in Adams County, Pennsylvania (rev.6/1/21)
National Monuments | Eternal Light Peace Memorial ★ Friend to Friend Masonic Memorial ★ High Water Mark Lincoln Speech Memorial ★ Soldiers' National Monument |
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U.S. State Monuments | |
C.S. State Monuments | |
Union Regimentals | CT ★ DE ★ IL ★ IN ★ ME ★ MD ★ MA ★ MI ★ MN NH ★ NJ ★ NY ★ OH ★ PA ★ RI ★ VT ★ WV ★ WI ★ U.S. Regulars |
Individual & Commemorative Monuments | Equestrian Monuments: ★ Hancock ★ Howard ★ Lee ★ Longstreet ★ Meade ★ Reynolds ★ Sedgwick ★ Slocum Standing Bronze Statues: ★ Barlow ★ Buford ★ Burns ★ Father Corby ★ Crawford ★ Doubleday ★ Geary ★ Gibbon ★ Greene ★ Hays ★ Humphreys ★ Robinson ★ Wadsworth ★ Warren ★ Webb ★ Wells Other Individual Monuments: ★ Armistead ★ Chapman ★ Collis ★ Cushing ★ Fuller ★ Rev. Howell ★ Humiston ★ Merwin ★ Nicholson ★ Sickles ★ Taylor ★ Vincent ★ Ward ★ Weed & Hazlett ★ Willard ★ Woolson ★ Zook |
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Landmarks | Black Horse Tavern ★ Cashtown Inn ★ Dobbin House ★ Evergreen Cemetery ★ Jennie Wade House ★ Lutheran Theological Seminary ★ McAllister's Mill ★ Railroad Station ★ Sachs Covered Bridge ★ Thompson House ★ David Wills House Farms: ★ Codori ★ Bliss ★ Brian ★ Daniel Schaefer ★ Hummelbaugh ★ Klingle ★ Lady ★ Leister ★ McLean ★ McPherson ★ Rogers ★ Rose ★ Rummel ★ Sherfy ★ Slyder ★ Snyder ★ Taney ★ Trostle ★ George Weikert ★ Wentz |
Points of Interest | New Museum & Visitor Center ★ Benner's Hill ★ Cemetery Hill ★ Copse of Trees ★ Culp's Hill ★ Devil's Den ★ Peach Orchard ★ Little Round Top ★ Big Round Top ★ Sachs Covered Bridge ★ Spangler's Spring ★ East Cavalry Field ★ Soldiers' National Cemetery ★ National Cemetery Annex Gone But Not Forgotten: Old Museum, Visitor Center, & Electric Map ★ Old Cyclorama ★ National Tower |
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