The Dewey Monument is a memorial statue by

Robert Ingersoll Aitken Robert Ingersoll Aitken (May 8, 1878 – January 3, 1949) was an American sculpture, sculptor. Perhaps his most famous work is the West Pediment of the United States Supreme Court Building. Life and career Born to Charles H. Aitken and Katherin ...

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

, located at the center of Union Square. Union Square is bounded by Geary, Powell, Post and Stockton Streets. The monument is dedicated to Admiral George Dewey and commemorates his victory in the

Battle of Manila Bay The Battle of Manila Bay (; ), also known as the Battle of Cavite, took place on May 1, 1898, during the Spanish–American War. The American Asiatic Squadron under Commodore George Dewey engaged and destroyed the Spanish Pacific Squad ...

during the

Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...

. Work on the monument began in 1901 and it was dedicated in 1903.

History and description

The monument was erected to honor Admiral George Dewey, a hero of the

, for his victory in the

. On May 23, 1901, President William McKinley visited San Francisco to break ground for the monument. Six months later McKinley was assassinated and was succeeded by his vice president,

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), also known as Teddy or T.R., was the 26th president of the United States, serving from 1901 to 1909. Roosevelt previously was involved in New York (state), New York politics, incl ...

. On May 14, 1903, Roosevelt officially dedicated the monument, which "commemorates the victory of Admiral George Dewey and the American fleet over Spanish forces at Manila Bay, the Philippines, on May 1, 1898, during the Spanish–American War" and also is a tribute to the sailors of the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

was hired to sculpt a statue representing Nike, the ancient Greek Goddess of Victory in honor of McKinley and Dewey. The statue holds a

trident A trident (), () is a three- pronged spear. It is used for spear fishing and historically as a polearm. As compared to an ordinary spear, the three tines increase the chance that a fish will be struck and decrease the chance that a fish will b ...

that represents Dewey and a wreath that represents McKinley. There are several stories about who modeled for Aitken's statue. One story holds that Aitken hired Alma de Bretteville (later Alma Spreckels), who he knew from the

Mark Hopkins Institute of Art San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) was a Private college, private art school, college of contemporary art in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1871, SFAI was one of the oldest art schools in the United States and the oldest west of the Mis ...

, to model for the statue, a version endorsed in her biography. However, a 1902 ''

San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. ...

'' article detailing the monument's construction states that Aitken's model was Clara Petzold or Petzoldt, a popular artists' model in San Francsico at that time. Architect Newton Tharp designed the base and column within a budget of $45,000. The column, over in diameter and over in height, was assembled from individual blocks weighing . Timbers over long were shipped from Oregon to support the

block and tackle A block and tackle or only tackle is a system of two or more pulleys with a rope or cable threaded between them, used to provide tension and lift heavy loads. The pulleys are assembled to form blocks and then blocks are paired so that one is ...

system used to construct the monument. The column stands on a square base with inscriptions on each side. Dewey_Monument,_Union_Square_SF_base_4.JPG, American squadron at Manila Bay: Olympia (flagship), Baltimore, Raleigh, Boston, Concord, Petrel, McColloch.On May 14, 1903, this monument was dedicated by President Theodore Roosevelt. Dewey_Monument,_Union_Square_SF_base_3.JPG, Secretary of the Navy John D. Long to Commodore George Dewey April 24, 1898:'War has commenced between the United States and Spain. Proceed at once to the Philippine Islands and capture or destroy the Spanish fleet'. Dewey Monument, Union Square SF base 1.JPG, On the night of April 30, 1898 Commodore Dewey's squadron entered Manila Bay and, undaunted by the danger of submerged explosives, reached Manila at dawn of May 1, 1898. Attacked and destroyed the Spanish fleet of ten war ships. Reduced the forts and held the city in subjection until the arrival of troops from America. Dewey_Monument,_Union_Square_SF_base_2.JPG, Erected by the citizens of San Francisco to commemorate the victory of the American Navy under Commodore George Dewey at Manila Bay on May 1, 1898.On May 23, 1901, the ground for this monument was broken by President William McKinley.

References

External links

*Aiken, Charles S.,
A Young Sculptor and His'Victory'
,

Sunset Magazine ''Sunset'' is a lifestyle magazine in the United States. ''Sunset'' focuses on homes, cooking, gardening, and travel, with a focus almost exclusively on the Western United States. The magazine is published six times per year by the Sunset Publis ...

, 227, 3/1902, Volume 8
Dewey Monument
:

Pacific Coast Architecture Database The University of Washington (UW and informally U-Dub or U Dub) is a Public university, public research university in Seattle, Washington, United States. Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West ...

"Bitter Melon" - Reinterpreting The Dewey Monument In Union Square
: ''usingsfhistory.com'' {{Robert Ingersoll Aitken 1901 establishments in California 1901 sculptures Landmarks in San Francisco Outdoor sculptures in San Francisco Sculptures of women in California Statues in San Francisco Union Square, San Francisco Sculptures by Robert Ingersoll Aitken