Minute Man Sculpture - Concord, MA
Posted by: 
NorStar
N 42° 28.136 W 071° 21.071
19T E 306711 N 4704521
The Minute Man statue that stands at one end of the North Bridge over the Concord River is an early work of Daniel Chester French, and its likeness has been featured on the back of the state quarter for Massachusetts.
Waymark Code: WM7WVY
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 12/14/2009
Views: 26
In Concord, by the North Bridge, now a pedestrian bridge over the Concord River, stands a statue on a pedestal that represents the Minute Man, an icon representing the farmer who turned defender.
The statue stands about seven feet tall, and is on a stone pillar that is also about 7 feet tall. The image is that of a youngish man standing by his plow; however, he is carrying a gun. The figure has rolled up sleeves and an irregularly shaped hat on his head. The pedestal that the bronze form stands on has simple designs on it and inscriptions. The inscription on the front states:
"By the rude bridge
that arched the flood,
Their flag to April's
breeze unfurled.
Here once the embattled
farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard
round the world."
On the backside, the stone has been etched to create the text:
"1775
Nineteenth of April
-
1875."
The inventory entry has a lot of interesting information about this statue.
French's markings are found to the rear, on the base of the bronze form.
The statue was commissioned by Ebeneezer Hubbard, who left $1000 in his will to erect a statue where the local militias met the British troops to stop them from taking the gunpowder supplies nearby. Daniel Chester French was a local person who was starting his career in making sculptures. During the winter of 1874-1874, French made several studies and used his friends as models for the statue. This statement seems to be in contrast to the legend that French had used the statue Apollo Belvedere as a model. The statue was also to be representative of Captain Isaac Davis who led the resistance at the bridge. The casting cost $1672. French was originally given only money to cover expense, but was later awarded another $1000 by the town of Concord in recognition of his work.
TITLE: Minute Man Statue
ARTIST(S): Daniel Chester French
DATE: 1875
MEDIUM: Bronze
CONTROL NUMBER: IAS 76009555
Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link]
PHYSICAL LOCATION:
Off Monument Street, about a half mile north of the center of Concord, on the path to the Minuteman National Historic Park Visitor Center, by the Concord River and North Bridge.
DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH:
None Detected of the statue. Next to the statue, the bridge has been replaced and Minuteman National Historic Park has been established since its installation.
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Visit Instructions:
Please give the date of your visit, your impressions of the sculpture, and at least ONE ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH. Add any additional information you may have, particularly any personal observations about the condition of the sculpture.