Spanish War Memorial at Capron Park - Attleboro, Massachusetts - Picture Perfect Postcards on Waymarking.com

This Spanish-American War memorial is one of about ten monuments at Capron Park in Attleboro, Massachusetts. It stands alone on a small hill at the east side of the property. The photos show the northeast and southeast faces of the marker and were taken a few yards due east from it for both the vintage post card and my matching re-creation from September 2021.

The white marble monument is an obelisk on a squared base in three sections with an estimated overall height of thirty feet. The main pillar is topped by an eagle with outstretched wings which faces to the east. Each side features a torch flame immediately below the eagle. A narrow banded base at the bottom of the column is decorated on each face with an American striped shield nestled in a pair of oak branches. The main base is a cube, six feet in length, width, and height.

Its front (east) face is engraved with a dedication that reads:

ERECTED
BY THE CITIZENS OF ATTLEBORO

TO THE MEMORY OF THOSE WHO
FAITHFULLY SERVED THEIR COUNTRY
IN THE WAR WITH SPAIN THE
PHILIPPINE INSURRECTION AND
THE CHINA RELIEF EXPEDITION
1898 TO 1902

ALL WERE VOLUNTEERS

Its back (west) face is engraved with a statement about the mission:

A WAR NOT FOR CONQUEST
WHICH ESTABLISHED FREEDOM
IN CUBA AND CALLED OUR NATION
TO A FOREMOST PARTICIPATION
IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

The north and south sides have relief carvings of an official cross insignia "with the four arms (anti-clockwise from right to left), reading: 'PORTO RICO/ CUBA/ PHILIPPINE ISLANDS/ U.S.A.' This cross also contains the dates '1898-1902' with the words 'SPANISH WAR VETERANS' surrounding a circular military scene", as similarly described by The Smithsonian.

Finally, the lowest base is an eight foot square with a 10-inch reveal above ground level. This component is plain except for its chamfered edges.

Also of note: This is among the over 200 memorial and monument projects, and three in the park, from the Olmsted Firm.

The post card publisher was American Art Post Card Co.; Size: 3.5" x 5.5" (9 x 14 cm); Front text: SPANISH WAR MEMORIAL, ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS 1475; Back text: BOSTON, Mass. PHOTO GELATINE. POSTAGE ONE CENT. (via: Card Cow)

Sources:
History of Capron Park
"The Master List of Design Projects of the Olmsted Firm, 1857-1979" edited by Lucy Lawliss, Caroline Loughlin, Lauren Meier
Olmsted Research Guide Online; Series: JOB# 7948, ATTLEBORO SPANISH WAR MEMORIAL, CAPRON PARK, ATTLEBORO, MA, 1904; 1928-1929
The Smithsonian, "Medal for United Spanish War Veterans"
Post card images: Card Cow

Physical Address: Capron Park 201 County Street Attleboro, MA US Description of Postcard Location: The images show the north and east side of a Spanish-American War monument on a small hill in the eastern part of Capron Park in Attleboro, Massachusetts, as seen from the northeast. A small parking lot is about 50 yards south from the marker. Parking Coordinates: N 41° 56.261 W 071° 17.673 Related Web Site: Not listed

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