State of Pennsylvania Memorial (Gettysburg)

State of Pennsylvania Memorial
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© 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​
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Newspaper Clipping from:
Gettysburg Compiler, August 17, 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 THE
DEDICATION OF THE PENNSYLVANIA MEMORIAL

Gettysburg, September 27, 1910




MONUMENT TEXT
Engraved on the Left Front of the Monument
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​

Engraved on the Right Front of the Monument
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​


ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
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Cottrell & Murray's plaster model, circa 1909.

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Pennsylvania Monument under construction, c.1910

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Gettysburg Times Photo

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Victory & Peace Statue, Pres. Abraham Lincoln, Gov. Andrew Curtin, Gen. George Meade, & Gen. John Reynolds, ©Michael Kendra

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Monument Restoration, ©Michael Kendra, May ‎4, ‎2002

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Victory & Peace Statue, After Cleaning & Waxing, NPS Photo

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Winter Sunrise, Jan 2019, NPS Photo
RELATED LINKS
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
U.S. State Monuments
DE IN MD NY NY Auxiliary PA VT U.S. Regulars
C.S. State Monuments
AL AR DE FL GA LA MD MS NC SC TN TX VA
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
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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The Sculptures & Artwork of the
State of Pennsylvania Memorial


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Bronze Sculpture of
Goddess of Victory and Peace
(1909–10) by Samuel Murray

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Bronze Portrait Statues, L to R
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



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Bronze Portrait Statues, L to R
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





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White marble parapet bas-relief panel
Artillery (1909–10) by Samuel Murray, north parapet.


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White marble parapet bas-relief panel
Cavalry (1909–10) by Samuel Murray, south parapet.


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White marble parapet bas-relief panel
Infantry (1909–10) by Samuel Murray, west parapet.
Pennsylvania Bucktails of Stone's Brigade at the McPherson Farm.


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White marble parapet bas-relief panel
Signal Corps (1909–10) by Samuel Murray, east parapet.

All artwork is
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Public Domain, taken from:

CEREMONIES OF THE DEDICATION OF THE PENNSYLVANIA MEMORIAL
Gettysburg, September 27, 1910


 
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