Pyramid on the Plains

Pyramid on the Plains. . At first glance, the Ames Monument may seem out of place on this high, wind-swept setting. If you step back and view the Monument from a distance, you will notice its design and shape mimic the surrounding features of the mountain landscape. The Union Pacific spared no expense in constructing the Ames Monument, contracting the most renowned architect, builder, and sculptor of the time. , An Architectural Achievement , Henry Hobson Richardson, one of the most prominent architects of the time, designed the massive stone Monument. He is well known for a variety of structures in Boston, Pittsburgh, Chicago, and other cities. The four-sided, ashlar pyramid is constructed of native granite. The monument is Richardson's only work west of St. Louis, and has been described as one of the architect's least known, but best works. , Monumental Task , Norcross Brothers of Worcester, Massachusetts were contracted to build the Monument at a cost of $65,000. Construction took place between 1880-1882 using granite that was quarried from Reeds Rock, located a half-mile west of the Monument. During the project, construction superintendent A.L. Sutherland and 85 workers lived on-site in the town of Sherman. Draft animals were used to skid the mammoth stones, which weigh up to 20 tons apiece, from the quarry. Wooden cranes were used to hoist the large stones into place. , Bas-relief Medallions , The famous sculptor, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, designed the bas-relief medallions of the Ames brothers. He is well known for his design of the $20 Double Eagle coin and the numerous monuments he created to commemorate Civil War heroes. Inset into the granite along the Monument's north side are one-foot-high letters proclaiming, "In Memory of Oakes Ames and Oliver Ames."