Robert Burns - Denver, CO - Statues of Historic Figures on Waymarking.com

The Burns Memorial in Denver's City Park is a portrait of poet Robert Burns. He is seen standing, wearing a long tail coat, vest, and knickers with knee-high socks. His proper right hand holds proper right lapel of coat. His proper left hand holds a book against his proper left thigh. The monument is decorated with a Scottish shield, lion rampant, thistle, festoon and wreath. The sculptor is William Grant (1849-1919) Stevenson of Edbrooke, Scotland. The base is marble and polished granite and the memorial stands approx. 27 x 8 x 6 ft.; the figure of Burns is approx. 10 ft. tall. The base reads:

BURNS
A POET PEASANT BORN
WHO MORE OF FAME'S IMMORTAL DOWER
UNTO HIS COUNTRY BRINGS
THAN ALL HER KINGS
(Excerpted from Smithsonian Art Inventory Catalog.)

So how did a giant memorial to Burns end up in Denver? Erected by Caledonian Club No. 1 of Denver, Colorado at a cost of $8,000 to $10,000. (See newspaper articles from Denver Post, June 1, 1959, pg. 52; June 7, 1993, pg. E24; and articles from Rocky Mountain News, Jan. 2, 1963, pg. 49 and April 21, 1965, pg. 83.) In the eighties John Duff McGilvray (of stone contracting company called "Hayes and McGilvray" who built Denver City Hall, the upper story on the Denver Court House, the old Denver Post office, the Windsor Hotel, the Barth block, the Kittredge building, St. Leo's Church, East High School, North High School, and other big office structures) was elected alderman from the 11th ward, which position he held for several terms. He served on the Board of Supervisors, and thru his efforts facilitated the purchase of the City park from the state. Mr. McGilvray, as a member of the Caledonian society, was largely responsible for the placing of the Robert Burns statue in the City park.

The monument is surrounded by Civil War Union Artillery donated and first flower garden established by the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR)in 1894 through 1897.