Westinghouse Memorial

Last updated
Westinghouse Memorial
WestinghouseMemorialSchenleyPark 8-16-22 2.jpg
Westinghouse Memorial
40°26′22″N79°56′34″W / 40.43946°N 79.94271°W / 40.43946; -79.94271
Location Schenley Park, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
MaterialBronze, Norwegian granite
Opening date6 October 1930
Dedicated to George Westinghouse

The Westinghouse Memorial is a bronze monument located in the U.S. city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It commemorates George Westinghouse, an engineer, founder of the Westinghouse Electric Corporation, and inventor of the railway air brake. The memorial is located at the entrance to the Steven Faloon trail, a part of Schenley Park. The architects for the monument and the surrounding area were Henry Hornbostel and Eric Fisher Wood. Daniel Chester French was the sculptor for the statue and the main panel, and Paul Fjelde designed the side panels. [1]

Contents

The memorial consists of a statue of a schoolboy, who represents "The Spirit of the American Youth". He looks on at three panels that represent the life of George Westinghouse and is presumed to draw inspiration from them. The memorial is made of bronze and granite. It is one of many mementos to George Westinghouse in the area. Some additional honors include Westinghouse Park, George Westinghouse Memorial Bridge, and the George Westinghouse, Jr., Birthplace and Boyhood Home.

The current location of the memorial is near the back of Carnegie Mellon University in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Schenley Drive, a road that runs through the park, is also nearby. [2] In 2019, the memorial was designated a historic landmark by the city of Pittsburgh. [3]

History

The Pittsburgh City Council first proposed building a memorial to George Westinghouse in 1916, two years after his death. Initially the memorial was planned for Westinghouse's former estate in Point Breeze North, Solitude, which is now the site of Westinghouse Park. However, in 1926 the City Council accepted a proposal to build the memorial in Schenley Park instead. The project was overseen by the Westinghouse Memorial Association and took four years to plan and execute. Pittsburgh architects Henry Hornbostel and Eric Fisher Wood were chosen to design the memorial, and Daniel Chester French (best known for his statue of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial) and Paul Fjelde created the sculptural elements. The bronze pieces were cast by Gorham Manufacturing Company of Rhode Island. Masaniello Piccirilli, one of the Piccirilli Brothers, spent approximately 14 months carving the wax models used for the castings. [4]

Funding for the memorial came from more than 50,000 Westinghouse employees, who raised a total of $200,000. It was dedicated on Westinghouse's birthday, October 6, 1930, [5] which Pittsburgh mayor Charles H. Kline officially declared to be "Westinghouse Day". All local Westinghouse employees were given the day off from work. [6] The ceremony was attended by approximately 12,000 people, including B. C. Forbes, Francis Hopwood, 1st Baron Southborough, U.S. Labor Secretary James J. Davis, Senator David A. Reed, and a variety of industry leaders like James A. Farrell, David Sarnoff, Gerard Swope, and Samuel M. Vauclain. Westinghouse's old rival Thomas Edison did not attend, but he did send a statement by mail, as did Andrew Mellon and President Herbert Hoover. The keynote address was given by U.S. Representative James F. Burke. [7] A celebratory dinner was also held the night before at the William Penn Hotel.

The bronze memorial was originally covered in gold leaf, which was added "so as to permanently give the monument an interesting surface which will be enhanced by the smoky atmosphere of the city." [8] However, the gilding could be easily scratched off with a knife, and consequently the memorial was repeatedly vandalized with "names, initials, and childish pictures". [9] The city spent $4,000 restoring the monument in 1937, only for it to end up defaced again just four years later. At this point it was decided to remove the gold leaf entirely, which was paid for by the Westinghouse Air Brake Company and completed in December 1941. [10] The memorial was restored again in 1984, including repairs to the American Youth sculpture, which had been toppled by vandals a few years earlier and subsequently removed for safekeeping. [11]

By 2014, the memorial was again in need of attention. [12] The pond infrastructure failed in 2009 and was no longer able to hold water, and the monument had been damaged by winter weather and vandals. [13] In 2015, a new restoration was launched by the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and the City of Pittsburgh. [14] The 14-month, $2.7 million project included rebuilding and refilling the pond, replacing pathways, planting new vegetation, and improving storm water management around the site. The memorial was rededicated on October 6, 2016. [15]

Design

The George Westinghouse Memorial, showing the commemorative panels and the statue of a young student, in Pittsburgh, PA WestinghouseMemorialSchenleyPark 8-16-22.jpg
The George Westinghouse Memorial, showing the commemorative panels and the statue of a young student, in Pittsburgh, PA
Statue "The Spirit of American Youth" by Daniel Chester French for the George Westinghouse Memorial in Pittsburgh, PA The Spirit Of American Youth.jpg
Statue "The Spirit of American Youth" by Daniel Chester French for the George Westinghouse Memorial in Pittsburgh, PA

The memorial consists of three double-sided bronze panels depicting the life of George Westinghouse, a statue of a school-age boy facing the panels, and the surrounding landscape including a lily pond, stone pathways, and black granite benches. The design of the memorial shows a strong Beaux-Arts influence, reflecting Hornbostel and Wood's training at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, while also incorporating modern elements like the depiction of contemporary people—a student and two industrial workers—in place of classical figures. Early plans for the memorial showed a more traditional vision with partially draped nymphs flanking the portrait of Westinghouse; these were replaced at the behest of the Westinghouse Memorial Association, who "prevailed upon Mr. French to attempt to produce a 'modern' masterpiece." [4] [8]

Panels

The three panels are arranged in a semicircle and sit on top of a Norwegian granite base. [16] Each panel is solid bronze. On the central panel, George Westinghouse is depicted at his drafting table in a bas-relief medallion flanked by high-relief figures of a mechanic and an engineer, along with dedicatory text and a granite plaque commemorating the first trial of the Westinghouse air brake. According to the Pittsburgh Press , the models for the two workers were actual Westinghouse employees Thomas Campbell and Anton Kusebauch. [17] The two side panels contain bas-relief images of Westinghouse's engineering accomplishments, including electrification of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad, the World's Columbian Exposition electrical system, and the Adams Power Plant at Niagara Falls. Each of the six reliefs is supported by a pair of sculpted turtles and set in a rectangular opening above a granite plaque with descriptive text. The side reliefs were sculpted by Paul Fjelde, while Daniel Chester French was responsible for the figural reliefs including Westinghouse and the two workers.

Unusually, some of the sculpted elements continue on the back side of the memorial, creating a multi-layered composition. This includes the backdrop of oak leaves visible through the openings in each panel, which are revealed as a series of fully sculpted trees when viewed from the rear. The back sides of the mechanic and engineer figures are also rendered in full relief. [4] A contemporary report described this as "[a] very unique sculptural effect, one which has never been tried and which taxed the ability of such a genius as Mr. French". [8] Elaborate borders consisting of meanders, floral patterns, and other designs appear throughout. The rear of the memorial also carries a dedication plaque, which reads: [18]

This memorial unveiled October 6, 1930, in honor of George Westinghouse is an enduring testimonial to the esteem, affection and loyalty of 60,000 employees of the great industrial organizations of which he was the founder. In his later years rightly called "The Greatest Living Engineer", George Westinghouse accomplished much of first importance to mankind through his ingenuity, persistence, courage, integrity and leadership. By the invention of the air brake and of automatic signaling devices, he led the world in the development of appliances for the promotion of speed, safety and economy of transportation. By his early vision of the value the alternating current electric system, he brought about a revolution in the transmission of electric power. His achievements were great, his energy and enthusiasm boundless, and his character beyond reproach; a shining mark for the guidance and encouragement of American youth.

The Spirit of the American Youth

Facing the panels is a life-size bronze statue by Daniel Chester French representing The Spirit of the American Youth. The statue depicts a school-aged boy holding a stack of books in one hand and a crumpled hat in the other as he contemplates the life and accomplishments of George Westinghouse. The statue has a granite pedestal and stands on a peninsula shaped like a ship's prow that projects into the lily pond. [4] At times, the statue has been vandalized by spray paint.

Lily pond and surrounding landscape

The pond in 2002, prior to being drained and rebuilt. Pittsburgh05.jpg
The pond in 2002, prior to being drained and rebuilt.

Landscape elements, including a lily pond, paved walkways, and surrounding vegetation, form an integral part of the memorial design. Some parts of the landscape, like the pond, predate the memorial itself, while others were added during and after construction. Although the landscape has evolved over time, the overall appearance of the memorial site still adheres to its original design principles. [4]

The lily pond was constructed in 1896 [19] and was originally fed by Phipps Run, one of the streams that supplies Panther Hollow Lake. Eventually, the pond became damaged from storm runoff and was switched to a municipal water supply, while Phipps Run was diverted underground. However, the pond continued to deteriorate and had to be drained in 2009. [20] It was rebuilt and refilled during the 2015–16 restoration.

The plantings around the memorial include a variety of trees, shrubs, and perennials. [21] Forty cherry trees, a gift from the Westinghouse Society of Japan, were planted at the memorial in 1931. [22] A further 12 trees were donated in 1965 by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation. [23]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schenley Park</span> Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Schenley Park is a large municipal park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located between the neighborhoods of Oakland, Greenfield, and Squirrel Hill. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district. In 2011, the park was named one of "America's Coolest City Parks" by Travel + Leisure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Como Park Zoo and Conservatory</span> Zoo and conservatory in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States

The Como Park Zoo and Marjorie McNeely Conservatory are located in Como Park at 1225 Estabrook Drive, Saint Paul, Minnesota. The park, zoo and conservatory are owned by the City of Saint Paul and are a division of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation. Its attractions include the zoo, the conservatory, an amusement park, a carousel, Lake Como, a golf course, a pool and more. The park receives more than 1.9 million visitors annually. Como Park is a free park and while no admission fee is charged for the zoo or conservatory, voluntary donations of $4 per adult and $2 child are suggested.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allen George Newman</span> American sculptor

Allen George Newman III was an American sculptor, best known for his statue "The Hiker".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giuseppe Moretti</span> American sculptor

Giuseppe Moretti was an Italian émigré sculptor who became known in the United States for his public monuments in bronze and marble. Notable among his works is Vulcan in Birmingham, Alabama, which is the largest cast iron statue in the world. On a personal level, Moretti was "known for his eclectic personality and for always wearing a green tie," but professionally, is claimed to be "the first man to use aluminum in art." Moretti enjoyed some celebrity in his lifetime, and was a friend of famed Italian tenor Enrico Caruso. It is even reported that the singer repeatedly praised Moretti's voice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conservatory Water</span> Pond in New York Citys Central Park

Conservatory Water is a pond located in a natural hollow within Central Park in Manhattan, New York City. It is located west of Fifth Avenue, centered opposite East 74th Street. The pond is surrounded by several landscaped hills, including Pilgrim Hill dotted by groves of Yoshino cherry trees and Pug Hill. These plantings were intended to match the flora around the mansions that once lined the adjacent stretch of Fifth Avenue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victory Monument (Chicago)</span> United States historic place

Erected in 1927, the Victory Monument, is a bronze and granite sculptural monument, based on a concept by John A. Nyden, and sculpted by Leonard Crunelle. It was built to honor the Eighth Regiment of the Illinois National Guard, an African-American unit that served with distinction in France during World War I. It may be the only memorial statue dedicated to African-American soldiers of the Great War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Schenley Memorial Fountain</span> United States historic place

The Mary Schenley Memorial Fountain, also known as A Song to Nature, is a 1918 landmark public sculpture in bronze and granite by Victor David Brenner. It sits in Schenley Plaza at the entrance to Schenley Park and directly in front of the University of Pittsburgh's Frick Fine Arts Building in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The fountain is designated as a contributing property to the Schenley Farms Historic District.

<i>Stephen Foster</i> (sculpture) Sculpture by Giuseppe Moretti

Stephen Foster is a landmark public sculpture in bronze by Giuseppe Moretti formerly located on Schenley Plaza in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Formerly sited along Forbes Avenue near the entrance of Carnegie Museum of Natural History, in the shadow of Dippy, a life-size sculpture of a Diplodocus dinosaur, and in close proximity to the University of Pittsburgh's Stephen Foster Memorial, the Foster statue is one of the city's best known and most controversial. It was removed on April 26, 2018 on the unanimous vote of the Pittsburgh Art Commission.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panther Hollow Bridge</span> Bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The Panther Hollow Bridge is an American steel, three-hinged, deck arch bridge that carries Panther Hollow Road over Panther Hollow in Schenley Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panthers of Pittsburgh</span> Mascot of the University of Pittsburgh

A panther is the animal that serves as the official mascot of the University of Pittsburgh and used as a nickname for both athletic teams as well as other organizations and affiliates of the university. The mascot is generally referred to as the Pittsburgh Panther or Pitt Panther, while the costumed panther mascot is also named "Roc". Up to 20 physical representations of panthers can be found in and around the university's campus and athletic facilities.

Paul Fjelde was a noted American sculptor and educator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacob Fjelde</span> American sculptor

Jakob Henrik Gerhard Fjelde was a Norwegian-born American sculptor. He is remembered as both a prolific portraitist and the creator of public monuments. One of his better known works is the one dedicated to the 1st Minnesota Infantry (1897) located at Gettysburg Battlefield where its 262 members suffered 215 casualties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zenos Frudakis</span> American artist

Zenos Frudakis, known as Frudakis, is an American sculptor whose diverse body of work includes monuments, memorials, portrait busts and statues of living and historic individuals, military subjects, sports figures and animal sculpture. Over the past four decades he has sculpted monumental works and over 100 figurative sculptures included within public and private collections throughout the United States and internationally. Frudakis currently lives and works near Philadelphia, and is best known for his sculpture Freedom, which shows a series of figures breaking free from a wall and is installed in downtown Philadelphia. Other notable works are at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, Brookgreen Gardens in South Carolina, the National Academy of Design, and the Lotos Club of New York City, the Imperial War Museum in England, the Utsukushi ga-hara Open Air Museum in Japan, and the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Equestrian statue of John A. Logan</span> Equestrian statue in Washington, D.C.

Major General John A. Logan, also known as the General John A. Logan Monument and Logan Circle Monument, is an equestrian statue in Washington, D.C., that honors politician and Civil War general John A. Logan. The monument is sited in the center of Logan Circle, a traffic circle and public park in the Logan Circle neighborhood. The statue was sculpted by artist Franklin Simmons, whose other prominent works include the Peace Monument and statues in the National Statuary Hall Collection. The architect of the statue base was Richard Morris Hunt, designer of prominent buildings including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and The Breakers in Newport, Rhode Island. Prominent attendees at the dedication ceremony in 1901 included President William McKinley, members of his cabinet, Senator Chauncey Depew, Senator Shelby Moore Cullom, and General Grenville M. Dodge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Vittor</span> 20th-century sculptor

Frank Vittor was an American sculptor, known for his "preference for the heroic and colossal".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samuel Hahnemann Monument</span> Memorial by Charles Henry Niehaus in Washington, D.C., U.S.

The Samuel Hahnemann Monument, also known as Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, is a public artwork dedicated to Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy. It is located on the east side of Scott Circle, a traffic circle in the northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C. The Classical Revival monument consists of an exedra designed by architect Julius Harder and a statue sculpted by Charles Henry Niehaus, whose works include the John Paul Jones Memorial in Washington, D.C., and several statues in the National Statuary Hall Collection. The monument is significant because Hahnemann is the first foreigner not associated with the American Revolution to be honored with a sculpture in Washington, D.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lafayette Memorial</span> Memorial in Brooklyn, New York, U.S.

The Lafayette Memorial is a public memorial located in Brooklyn's Prospect Park in New York City. The memorial, designed by sculptor Daniel Chester French and architect Henry Bacon, was dedicated in 1917 and consists of a bas-relief of Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette alongside a groom and a horse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Statue of Christopher Columbus (Pittsburgh)</span> Statue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.

A statue of Christopher Columbus is installed in Pittsburgh's Schenley Park, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christopher Lyman Magee Memorial</span>

The Christopher Lyman Magee Memorial is a public memorial in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Located outside of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in Schenley Park, the memorial honors Christopher Magee, a local political boss and philanthropist during the late 1800s. It was designed by sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, with assistance from Henry Hering, while Stanford White and Henry Bacon served as architects for the project. The memorial was dedicated on Independence Day, July 4, 1908, before a crowd of two thousand spectators. It was one of the last works created by Saint-Gaudens, who died several months before its dedication.

References

  1. ↑ Walter C. Kidney (2005). Oakland. Arcadia Publishing. p. 37. ISBN   978-0-7385-3867-9.
  2. ↑ Quentin R. Skrabec (1 January 2010). The World's Richest Neighborhood: How Pittsburgh's East Enders Forged American Industry. Algora Publishing. p. 221. ISBN   978-0-87586-796-0.
  3. ↑ "Bill No. 2018-1213". City of Pittsburgh. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "City of Pittsburgh Historic Landmark Nomination: Westinghouse Memorial" (PDF). Preservation Pittsburgh. 2018. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  5. ↑ Quentin R. Skrabec (2007). George Westinghouse: Gentle Genius. Algora Publishing. pp. 3–4. ISBN   978-0-87586-507-2.
  6. ↑ "Westinghouse Shaft Draws Throng Today". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. October 6, 1930. Retrieved September 27, 2018– via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ Doving, George E. (October 6, 1930). "Westinghouse Memorial Is Dedicated Today By Ceremony In Pittsburgh". New Castle News. Institutional News Service. Retrieved September 28, 2018– via Newspapers.com.
  8. 1 2 3 "Lily Pond Transformed". The Carnegie Alumnus. 17 (3): 10–11. February 1931. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  9. ↑ "A Humiliating Situation". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. May 6, 1937. Retrieved October 2, 2018– via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "All Because Of Vandals—Gold Plate Ground To Dust In Memorial's Renovation". Pittsburgh Press. December 21, 1941. Retrieved October 2, 2018– via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ Miller, Donald (October 23, 1984). "Schenley Park statue restored". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved October 2, 2018– via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ Jones, Diana N. (8 October 2012). "George Westinghouse memorial needs restoration". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  13. ↑ McMasters, Melissa (March 12, 2009). "Westinghouse Quandary". Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  14. ↑ Beras, Erika (August 7, 2015). "$2 Million Westinghouse Memorial Restoration Kicks Off". WESA. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  15. ↑ Lindstrom, Natasha (October 6, 2016). "Restored Westinghouse Memorial unveiled in Schenley Park". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  16. ↑ Pennsylvania: A Guide to the Keystone State. North American Book Dist LLC. 1940. p. 307. ISBN   978-0-403-02187-1.
  17. ↑ "Westinghouse to be honored". Pittsburgh Press. October 5, 1930. Retrieved October 2, 2018– via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ "Story". Westinghouse Memorial. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
  19. ↑ Hannegan, Barry (May–June 1996). "William Falconer and the Landscaping of Schenley Park". Carnegie Magazine. 63 (3). Retrieved September 16, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Westinghouse Memorial and Pond". Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
  21. ↑ "Westinghouse Memorial: Restoration". Westinghouse Memorial. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Japanese Visitors Present Cherry Trees at Memorial". Pittsburgh Press. May 10, 1931. Retrieved September 25, 2018– via Newspapers.com.
  23. ↑ "Japanese Plant Trees In Schenley Sept. 28". Pittsburgh Press. September 19, 1965. Retrieved September 25, 2018– via Newspapers.com.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.