Victory - Danville, IL - Smithsonian Art Inventory Sculptures on Waymarking.com

Inscriptions
Base Front:

Whereas: it is the desire of the City of Danville to erect some permanent structure as a Monument and Memorial to the Gallant Soldiers and Sailors of Danville who participated in the World’s War of 1914 and 1918 , and Whereas: the bridge over the Vermilion River at Gilbert Street in said City needs to be replaced
Therefore: be it resolved by the City Council of Danville Illinois that a new bridge be built over the Vermilion River at Gilbert Street in said City - - Said bridge to be a Monument and memorial to our Soldiers as set forth in the Preamble hereof and to be known as “The Victory Bridge.”

Adopted March 10, 1919

Base Back:
They made the Supreme Sacrifice.
Proudly you gathered rank on rank to war as who had heard God’s message from afar.
All you had hoped for all you had. You gave to save mankind
Yourselves you scorned to save.


Names of Danville's 51 area men who died in WWI are inscribed around the sides of the base.

From the Art Inventory site:
"Victory figure: approx. 20 x 12 x 10 ft.; Granite figures on base, each: approx. H. 8 ft.; Lower base: approx. 4 x 4 x 12 ft.
Description: A standing female figure representing Victory. She is wearing a long robe gathered at the waist. In her proper right hand she holds a sword and a wreath. Her proper left hand rest on top of a square shield set by her side. The figure is set on a granite base with a sailor, an aviator, a Red Cross nurse, and an army soldier in the corners. All of the figures are dressed in uniform. The figures are to represent the army, navy, marines and nurses. There are inscriptions on all four sides of the base, listing 54 names of those from Vermilion County who died in World War I."


See (visit link)
for a good old picture of the site. The current location of the monument is not the original location, relocated to avoid traffic accidents.

See (visit link)
for a biography of sculptor Lorado Taft, an alumni of nearby University of Illinois in Champaign (where he has several waymarked sculptures.)

TITLE: Victory ARTIST(S): Taft, Lorado Zadoc, 1860-1936, sculptor. DATE: 1921-1922. Cast 1921. Dedicated Nov. 11, 1922. MEDIUM: Bronze and granite on a granite base. CONTROL NUMBER: IAS IL000163 Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link] PHYSICAL LOCATION: intersection of West Main Street and South Gilbert Street, aka Victory Park, Danville, IL USA DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH: none really, however typo in database "sacrafice"

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