William Jennings Bryan - Salem, IL
Posted by: 
adgorn
N 38° 38.124 W 088° 56.718
16S E 330684 N 4278112
The Statue of William Jennings Bryan was created by Gutzon Borglum, famed sculptor of Mt. Rushmore. It originally stood in Washington, D.C., dedicated there by President Franklin Roosevelt May 3, 1934.
Waymark Code: WMCTE0
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 10/10/2011
Views: 6
From the Smithsonian database:
Full-length standing portrait. Subject has proper right hand raised in the air, finger pointed. Proper left hand is gathering cloak in front of him.Dimensions: Figure: approx. H. 8 ft.; Base: approx. 6 x 7 1/2 x 7 1/2 ft.
Inscription: (Base:) WILLIAM JENNINGS/BRYAN/1860 - 1925/YOU SHALL NOT PRESS DOWN UPON THE BROW/OF LABOR THIS CROWN/OF THORNS. YOU SHALL/NOT CRUCIFY MANKIND/UPON A CROSS OF GOLD
Remarks: Inscription on nearby plaque reads: WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN LIVED IN SALEM, ILL, FROM/HIS BIRTH MARCH 19, 1860, UNTIL/1875. A NATIONAL FIGURE AFTER/HIS "CROSS OF GOLD SPEECH" IN/1896. BRYAN WAS THE UNSUCCESSFUL DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR/PRESIDENT IN 1896, 1900, 1908 AND/SERVED AS SECRETARY OF STATE/1913-1915. HE DIED IN 1925 AFTER/THE SCOPES "EVOLUTION" TRIAL. ERECTED BY/THE SALEM HISTORICAL-PATRIOTICAL COMMISSION/AND THE ILLINOIS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY/1962. The Bryan statue was given to Congress in trust by the Bryan Society of Nebraska and was one of two works commissioned by Borglum, the other located at the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln. Originally installed in Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C., the statue was removed for highway construction and put in storage on the Haines Point grounds of the maintenance department of the National Park Service. In 1960, the statue was given to Salem, the birthplace of Bryan."
In 1961, the statue was moved to its present location across from Bryan Memorial Park on North Broadway in the Bryan Memorial Park triangle at Boone Street.
Read (
visit link) for a good article on the trials and tribulations surrounding obtaining the statue for Salem.