Civil War Monument: Union Soldier - Providence, RI

Union Soldier Monument

Providence, RI

N 41° 47.331 W 071° 24.794

Short Description: 

A monument honoring the Union soldier is located in Roger Williams Park in the traffic circle junction of Hawthorn Ave., Fredrick C. Green Memorial Blvd., and Natural History Ave.

Long Description:

A 7' high bronze statue depicts a Union soldier in full uniform. The solder is apparently moving forward with his left foot in front of his left. He is a wearing cap and a jacket with a crossed belts across his chest. He is holding a rifle, at a 30 degree angle by the muzzle end, in his right hand. His left hand is clenched by his side.

The statue was created to memorialize the soldiers of the Union Army by Frederick Kohlhagen and cast at the Gorham Manufacturing Company. It is the same figure, called Skirmishers, that is used on the 10th Pennsylvania Reserves, 39th Infantry Regiment Monument on Warren and Sykes Avenues in Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania.

A bronze plaque on the 5' high boulder which is the base for the statue is inscribed:

UNION SOLDIER

PRESENTED TO

THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE

BY THE PROVIDENCE ASSOCIATION OF

MECHANICS AND MANUFACTURERS

IN 1898

THE UNION SOLDIER WAS DESIGNED BY

F. KOHLHAGEN OF THE GORHAM COMPANY

AND WAS THE FIRST LARGE STATUE

CAST BY THEM.

IT WAS RESTORED BY THE

PROVIDENCE PARKS DEPARTMENT

IN 1993.

Historic Figure: Sri Chinmoy - Providence, RI

Sri Chinmoy

Providence, RI

N 41° 46.427 W 071° 24.739

Short Description: 

A statue of Indian spiritual leader, musician, poet, and peace activist Sri Chinmoy is located in Roger Williams Park between the south end of Elm Lake and Fredrick C. Green Memorial Blvd. in Providence, RI.

Long Description:

A life size bronze statue of Sri Chinmoy stands near the south shore of Elm Lake in Roger Williams Park. Chinmoy is wearing traditional Indian clothing of a tunic and sarong. He is holding the World Harmony Run Peace Torch in front of his chest with both hands. The statue was created by British sculptor Kaivalya Torpy and installed on April 8, 2011.

The bronze plinth is embedded in a on a 2' high by 3' square boulder. A bronze plaque in the boulder is inscribed:

Sri Chinmoy (1931 -2007)

Dreamer of Peace

Founder of the 

World Harmony Run

18 April 2011

Chinmoy Kumar Ghose, better known as Sri Chinmoy, was born in British India, now Bangladesh, on August 27, 1931. He was an accomplished author, artist, poet, musician and spiritual leader. He moved to New York City in 1964 and established meditation centers, eventually attracting over 7,000 students in 60 countries.

Chinmoy became an skilled musician and composer with the flute and in 1984 began performing free peace concerts which were attended by many thousands of people around the world. He has created music with many instruments including: a variety of flutes, the Indian esraj, cello, harmonium, piano and pipe organ. Over his lifetime he has recorded over 17,000 songs. Currently his music is available for free streaming on the Radio Sir Chinmoy website as well as on Spotify, iHeart Radio, You Tube, and several other music sites.

Compact Disc Discography for Sri Chinmoy

Songs Of Eternity - 1972

My Pilot Supreme - 1972

My Flute : The Poetry and Teachings and Philosophy of Sri Chinmoy ?1972

Music For Meditation - 1976

Meditation-Sun - 1977

Aspiration-Delight - 1978

Meditation - Sea - 1979

Flute-Music For Meditation - 1983

Flowers Of Beauty And Delight - 1984

ExistencE-ConsciousnesS-Bliss - 1984

The Dance Of Light - 1986

Sri Chinmoy / Baoul Scavullo - 1990

Concert De Paix - 1992

Rupali & Anuraga, Sri Chinmoy - Flame Worlds - 1994

Temple-Song-Hearts - Unknown

Mountain Silence Music By Sri Chinmoy - Gratitude-Flower-Hearts - Unknown Singles & EPs

My Heart-Garden-Songs - 1989

Chinmoy has written over 120,000 poems, mostly short but complete spiritual poem or verse. He has also published several volume of longer, poems in the more classical style. Volumes include: Seventy-Seven Thousand Service-Trees, Twenty-Seven Thousand Aspiration-Plants, Ten Thousand Flower-Flames, The Dance of Life, Wings of Light and My Christmas-New Year-Vacation-Aspiration-Prayers.

Chinmoy has recited his poetry at the United Nations as part of a UN sponsored event of promoting Dialogue Among Civilizations Through Poetry. Three of Chinmoy's poems on the theme of hope were recited by at a ceremony to mark the 9th anniversary of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.

Figurative Sculpture: The Pancratiast - Providence, RI

The Pancratiast

Providence, RI

N 41° 47.002 W 071° 24.738

Short Description: 

The Pancratiast, a.k.a. The Boxer at Rest, is located in Roger Williams Park at the northern junction of Maple Ave. and Pine Hill Ave. in Providence, RI.

Long Description:

The Pancratiast is a bronze copy of the sculpture discovered on the Quirinal Hill of Rome in 1885 near the ancient Baths of Constantine. It is part of the collection of the Terme Museum in Rome.

A 4.5' by 2' by 3.25' bronze sculpture of a seated Pancratiast displayed on a 6' by 3.25' by 5' pink granite base. A Pancratiast is the champion of a martial arts contest involving a combination boxing and wrestling. The bearded, nude, male figure is seated on a large rock while looking up and over his right shoulder. He is wearing protective gear that covers his hands to his mid-forearms.

The original sculpture was created by an unknown Italian artist. This copy of the sculpture was a gift to the City of Providence from Paul Bajnotti and was dedicated on September 25, 1900.

The front of the base is inscribed:

THE PANCRATIAST

PRESENTED TO THE

CITY OF PROVIDENCE

BY

PAUL BAJNOTTI

TURIN, ITALY

SEPTEMBER 25, 1900

Figurative Sculpture: The Falconer - Providence, RI

The Falconer

Providence, RI

N 41° 47.146 W 071° 24.372

Short Description: 

The Falconer is located in Roger Williams Park in the center of the traffic circle at the junction of Fredrick C. Green Memorial Blvd and Cladrastis Ave.

Long Description:

The Falconer is a 10' by 7' by 2' bronze sculpture of a partially nude male figure, wearing a loin cloth, is holding a falcon in his left hand above his head. The falcon's wings are fully outspread and the falconer and the falcon are facing each other. The figures stands on a 5' diameter by 10' high three-tiered granite base.

The sculpture was created by Henry Hudson Kitson and installed several locations in Roger Williams Park in 1889 before being placed in its current location. The base is inscribed in raised letters:

ERECTED TO THE MEMORY OF ELISHA DYER BY HIS GRANDSON DANIEL WANTON LYMAN

Elisha Dyer was the 25th Governor of the State of Rhode Island.

Figurative Sculpture: The Fighting Gladiator - Providence, RI

The Fighting Gladiator

Providence, RI

N 41° 47.206 W 071° 24.826

Quick Description: 

The Fighting Gladiator is located in Roger Williams Park on Natural History Avenue in Providence, RI.

Long Description:

A 5' by 4' by 5' bronze figure of a nude male stands on a 9' by 7' by 5.75" stone base. The man is leaning forward with his right leg forward and his left leg back. His left arm, which has a guard on the forearm, is held over his head in a blocking position. His right arm is behind his back and he is holding a fighting aid, a 6" cylinder, in his right hand.

The sculpture is a copy of a sculpture created by Agasias of Ephesus and is example of Hellenistic Art from the 3rd to 1st centuries BCE. It was sculpted by George Wilkinson of the Gorham Manufacturing Company in 1891 and erected in Roger William Park in 1894.

A bronze plaque on the front of the base is inscribed:

THE FIGHTING GLADIATOR

Given to the City of Providence in 1891

by George Wilkinson, Superintendent of

the Gorham Manufacturing Company, this

statue is a copy of an original at the

Louvre in Paris.

The Fighting Gladiator was restored in

1988 by the Providence Parks Department.

Lions International Markers: Lion's Memorial - Providence, RI

Lions Memorial

Providence, RI

N 41° 46.922 W 071° 24.910

Short Description: 

The Lions Memorial, in memory of the Lions Club members of Rhode Island, is located in Roger Williams Park at the junction of Pine Hill and Maple Avenues in Providence, RI.

Long Description:

A 2' high by 2' wide by 6.25' long Westerly granite statue of a lion stands on a 4' by 2' by 6.75' granite base. The male lion is depicted in a stalking position, crouching down with all four feet on the ground. His front right foot is forward and his rear hind leg is set back. The granite plinth is higher in front and curves downward so that the head of the lion appears raised. The sculpture is surrounded by a low iron fence. The monument was created by the Bonner Monument Company.

On the front of the base is the emblem of Lions International and the inscription:

IN MEMORIAM 

RHODE ISLAND 

LIONS 

The monument was erected by the Lions of the 42nd District of Rhode Island on September 11, 1960.

Statues of Historic Figure: Abraham Lincoln - Providence, RI

Abraham Lincoln 

Providence, RI

N 41° 47.313 W 071° 24.814

Short Description: 

A monument honoring Abraham Lincoln is located in Roger Williams Park at the junction of Fredrick C. Green Memorial Blvd. and Natural History Ave. in Providence, RI.

Long Description:

A 12' by 4' by 4' bronze statue of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, stands on a 6.75' by 4' square granite base. A slender Lincoln is standing upright and wearing a knee length coat, vest and a bow tie. His arms are by his sides and he is holding a sheet of paper in his right hand.

The statue was a gift to the City of Providence from Henry W. Harvey in memory of his wife Georgiana. It was sculpted by Gilbert Alfred Franklin and erected in Roger Williams Park in 1958. The front of the base is inscribed:

ERECTED UNDER THE WILL OF

HENRY W. HARVEY

AS A MEMORIAL TO HIS WIFE

GEORGIANA

TO PERPETUATE THE MEMORY OF

ABRAHAM LINCOLN

AND TO INCULCATE LOYALTY AND

PATRIOTISM IN THE MINDS

OF ALL THOSE WHO COME HERE

FOR REST AND RECREATION

1958

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 in Hodgenville, Kentucky. He was self-educated, and after a series of unsuccessful ventures he became a lawyer, practicing in Illinois. In 1842, he married Mary Todd, with whom he had four children.

In 1846, Lincoln was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served one two-year term before returning to practice law Lincoln in Springfield, IL. In 1858, he failed in his bid for the United States Senate to Stephen Douglas. He joined the the newly formed anti-slavery Republican Party and won the 1860 election for president of the United States.

His election victory precipitated the Civil War over which he presided, as Commander-in-Chief from 1861 to 1865. Soon after the Union victory he was assassinated by southern sympathizer, John Wilkes Booth. De died on April 15, 1865 in Washington, D.C.