| Bunker Hill Monument |
Article Index for Bunker Hill |
Shopping Bunker |
Website Links For Bunker Hill |
Information AboutBunker Hill Monument |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT BUNKER HILL MONUMENT | |
| american revolutionary war sites | |
| buildings and structures in massachusetts | |
| freedom trail | |
| landmarks in massachusetts | |
| obelisks | |
| registered historic places in massachusetts | |
|
The Bunker Hill Monument is the first public Obelisk erected in the United States. The 221 foot (67 m) granite obelisk erected between 1827 and 1843 in Charlestown, Massachusetts with granite quarried in Quincy, Massachusetts and conveyed to the site by the first railway in the United States, built specially for that purpose. Interestingly, the Bunker Hill Monument is not on Bunker Hill but instead on Breed's Hill , where most of the fighting actually took place. The Monument Association, which had purchased the battlefield site, was forced to sell off all but the hill's summit in order to complete the monument. The monument was erected to commemorate the Battle Of Bunker Hill , an early American victory in the Revolutionary War , fought there June 17 1775 . The first monument at the site was created in 1794 by King Solomon's Lodge Of Masons and was initially an 18 foot (5 m) wooden pillar topped with a gilt urn. In front of the obelisk is a statue of Col. William Prescott, the hero of Bunker Hill. A native of Groton, he coined the famous Revolutionary War phrase, "Don't fire 'til you see the whites of their eyes!" Bunker Hill is one of the sites along the Freedom Trail and is part of Boston National Historical Park . CONSTRUCTION OF THE MONUMENT William Ticknor , a well-known Boston lawyer and antiquarian, first suggested the memorial and an interested group of men met for breakfast at the home of Colonel Thomas Handasyd Perkins . Among them were William Tudor , Daniel Webster , Professor George Ticknor , Doctor John C. Warren, William Sullivan, and George Blake. On May 10 1823 , the first public meeting was called. Each member subscribed five dollars, and on June 7 1823 , the Bunker Hill Monument Association was established and the work of raising money was begun. Famed nineteenth-century philanthropist Amos Lawrence contributed $10,000 to fund the building. In the spring of 1825 the directors had purchased about 15 acres (61,000 m²) on the slope of Breed's Hill, but had yet chosen a design. The first design committee consisted of Daniel Webster , noted engineer Loammi Baldwin, Jr. , George Ticknor , Gilbert Stuart , and Washington Allston . One hundred dollars was offered for the best design; about 50 plans were presented in response. Choice was soon narrowed to two (a column and an obelisk) and a new committee was appointed to procure designs and estimate expenses for each. At the next meeting the majority voted that the obelisk designed by Solomon Willard be used. The directors laid the corner-stone on June 17 1825 . The Marquis De Lafayette performed the ceremony, Daniel Webster delivered the oration, and the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, Ancient Free And Accepted Masons , conducted the services. Perhaps surprisingly, the First Railroad in the United States, the Granite Railway , was created to carry granite for the monument's construction. Work proceeded somewhat slowly at first, but on January 4 1826 , citizens petitioned the Massachusetts legislature to build a Railroad, which was then completed in short order and became operational on October 9 1826 as the first railroad in the United States. SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
|
|
|