Statue of Alexander Hamilton (Chicago)

The Alexander Hamilton statue is a monumental statue of Alexander Hamilton in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Located in the city's Lincoln Park, the monument was installed in 1952, having been completed several years prior in 1939.

Alexander Hamilton statue
Alexander Hamilton statue (2013)
LocationLincoln Park, Chicago, Illinois, United States
DesignerJohn Angel
MaterialBronze (with gilding)
Granite (pedestal)
Height13 feet (4.0 m)
Weight3,500 pounds (1,600 kg)
Completion date1939
Dedicated date1952
Dedicated toAlexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton

History

The monument honoring Alexander Hamilton was proposed by philanthropist Kate Sturges Buckingham before her death in 1937. Her will included a $1 million earmark to the Art Institute of Chicago for monument's construction.[1] Buckingham felt that Hamilton was an underappreciated figure in the creation of the United States,[2] and before her death, she commissioned sculptor John Angel to design a statue of Hamilton and architect Eliel Saarinen to create an 80-foot (24 m) column that the statue would rest on.[1] The statue was completed in 1939, while the column idea was never executed.[1] Following this, the statue would remain in storage for over 12 years due to bronze shortages during World War II. The monument was dedicated in Lincoln Park in 1952, accompanied by a large plinth behind it made of limestone and granite designed by Samuel A. Marx. However, this plinth was later removed in October 1993,[3] and shortly thereafter the monument was placed on a new, red granite pedestal.[1] In 2016, the statue underwent a $52,000 renovation that included an extensive re-gilding.[4]

Design

The monument is 13 feet (4.0 m)[5] and weighs 3,500 pounds (1,600 kg).[4]

See also

References
  1. Weiss, Hedy (July 6, 2016). "Re-gilding Chicago's Alexander Hamilton — the statue". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  2. Krehl, Donald (2011). Monumental Chicago. ISBN 978-1-105-28056-6 – via Google Books.
  3. Mullen, William (May 8, 1994). "SOME OVERDUE PUBLICITY". Chicago Tribune. Tribune Publishing. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  4. Weiss, Hedy (July 10, 2017). "WEISS: All that glitters is too garish for refurbished Hamilton statue". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  5. "While Alexander Hamilton's Image On $10 Bill Will Be Diminished, He Can Still Be Seen Prominently In Chicago". WBBM-TV. June 21, 2015. Retrieved September 17, 2020.

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