No City Has A Worthier Memorial Of Her Honored Sons

No City Has A Worthier Memorial Of Her Honored Sons. .

"Besides the great duty of erecting a memorial of our fallen heroes...the erection of this monument will add an ornament to the city which will make it conspicuous among the cities of the continent for its possession of such a noble work of art. ..." , , George Crompton to Worcester City Council, November 20, 1871

, On November 20, 1871, a $50,000 contract was executed with sculptor Randolph Rogers for the 52-foot granite and bronze monuments to be ready for dedication in eighteen months, "Two issues remained: the location and the final list of Worcester men who fell in the late war." Although there was danger "that some names would be overlooked" or even mis-attributed to Worcester, by Dec. 30, 1872, "The list of names intended for the soldiers' monument is completed today. There is still one opportunity for corrections, if offered before Wednesday, afternoon. The list will be in the hands of the sculptor in Rome within three weeks, and it will be absolutely perfect.", When this late in the process the final location of the monument was open to debate. Parks commissioner Edward Winslow Lincoln in his 1872 annual report to City Council argued against the Common: "There are sites for this monument in plenty, more suitable and more accessible...Summer Street will have to be widened ere long. Washington Square would answer the purpose admirably. Wellington Square should be doubled in breadth...Room runs to waste in Lincoln Square...All of these broad openings must be adorned somehow and at some time. Why not make a beginning now, and with this monument?", Despite these options, the northeast corner of the Common was agreed upon on June 3, 1873, so that "the monument can be seen from the entrance of the new union depot and the central area of Washington Square...the most central position, the greatest range of view." It wasn't until March 30th of 1874 that the current location was finally approved. Even then, to confirm the exact spot, a "wooden framework" was built on the proposed site to "show the way the monument will stand.", With agreement, final work began, and July 4th was set as the dedication date. Foundation stone was being laid by May 22nd to considerable attention and almost every spectator has a word to say about where, in his opinion, the monument should have been placed." By June 3rd the first of the granite had arrived and on June 19 a derrick for raising the immense blocks was in place. The dedication date was rescheduled a third time for July 15., Two weeks later, on Friday, July 23, the Daily Spy announced that "The bronze statue of the Goddess of Victory, to be placed on the top of the soldiers' monument, was unboxed yesterday and photographed...The statue will probably be placed in position this morning."