Location | Wright Square, Savannah, Georgia, United States |
---|---|
Designer | Henry Van Brunt Frank M. Howe |
Material | Granite Marble |
Height | 47 feet (14 m) |
Dedicated date | 1883 |
Dedicated to | William Washington Gordon |
The William Washington Gordon Monument is a public monument in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Located in Wright Square, the monument honors politician and businessman William Washington Gordon and was designed by Henry Van Brunt and Frank M. Howe. It was completed in 1883.
William Washington Gordon was a railroad baron during the mid-1800s who served as the founder and first president of the Central of Georgia Railway. [1] [2] He was also the father of Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of the Girl Scouts of the USA. [1] In 1842, [3] Gordon passed away at the age of 46. [2] Several years later, in 1883, efforts were underway to erect a monument in honor of Gordon in Savannah. At Wright Square, a pyramid of rocks that marked the burial place of Tomochichi was removed to make way for the monument. [4] Tomochichi was a Yamacraw chief who aided the early settlers of Savannah, and after his death in 1739, he was buried at Wright Square, [5] with General James Oglethorpe serving as one of his pallbearers. [3] Tomochichi's body was relocated from the center of the square to the southeast corner to make way for the new monument. [5] Nellie Gordon, Gordon's daughter-in-law and the first president of the Georgia branch of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America, [4] would later advocate for a new monument to be erected in honor of Tomochichi, which occurred several years later in 1899. [6] The monument to Gordon, completed in 1883 with funds from the Central of Georgia Railway, was completed in 1883. [5] It was designed by the architects Henry Van Brunt and Frank M. Howe. [1]
In 1958, a Georgia historical marker was erected in the square that detailed the history of the monument and surrounding area. [3]
The monument consists of a granite pedestal supporting four marble columns. An urn is located between these columns, and at the top of the monument is a globe. One side of the monument features a carving of a train on a trestle bridge, while another two sides feature the following inscriptions: [7]
William Washington Gordon Born June 17, 1796 Died March 20 1842 The Pioneer Of Works Of Internal Improvement In His Native State And First President Of The Central Rail Road And Banking Company Of Georgia To Which He Gave His Time His Talents And Finally His Life
Erected A.D. 1882 By The Central Railroad And Banking Company Of Georgia In Honor Of A Brave Man + A Faithful And Devoted Officer And To Preserve His Name In The Grateful Remembrance Of His Fellow Citizens
Juliette Augusta Magill Kinzie was an American historian, writer and pioneer of the American Midwest.
Tomochichi (to-mo-chi-chi') was the head chief of a Yamacraw town on the site of present-day Savannah, Georgia, in the 18th century. He gave land on Yamacraw Bluff to James Oglethorpe to build the city of Savannah. He remains a prominent historical figure of early Georgia history. As the principal mediator between the native population and the new British settlers during the first years of settlement, he contributed much to the establishment of peaceful relations between the two groups and to the ultimate success of Georgia.
The city of Savannah, Province of Georgia, was laid out in 1733, in what was colonial America, around four open squares, each surrounded by four residential "tithing") blocks and four civic ("trust") blocks. The layout of a square and eight surrounding blocks was known as a "ward." The original plan was part of a larger regional plan that included gardens, farms, and "outlying villages." Once the four wards were developed in the mid-1730s, two additional wards were laid. Oglethorpe's agrarian balance was abandoned after the Georgia Trustee period. Additional squares were added during the late 18th and 19th centuries, and by 1851 there were 24 squares in the city. In the 20th century, three of the squares were demolished or altered beyond recognition, leaving 21. In 2010, one of the three "lost" squares, Ellis, was reclaimed, bringing the total to today's 22.
William Washington Gordon was an American politician and businessman.
Henry Van Brunt FAIA was an American architect and architectural writer.
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The following is a timeline of the history of Savannah, Georgia, United States.
Frank M. Howe was an architect in Kansas City, Missouri, and Boston, Massachusetts. He was a partner with Henry Van Brunt in the prominent firm of Van Brunt and Howe. He later partnered with Henry F. Hoit as Howe, Hoit & Cutler.
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Wright Square is one of the 22 squares of Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is located in the second row of the city's five rows of squares, on Bull Street and President Street, and was laid out in 1733 as one of the first four squares. It is south of Johnson Square, west of Oglethorpe Square, north of Chippewa Square and east of Telfair Square. The oldest building on the square is the William Waring Property, at 12 West State Street, which dates to 1825.
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