General Casimir Pulaski - Philadelphia, PA
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Math Teacher
N 39° 58.010 W 075° 10.944
18S E 484422 N 4424091
Awesome statue of General Casimir Pulaski can be found in the Garden of Heroes @ the west side of the Philadelphia Art Museum. General Pulaski was an American Revolutionary War General and is regarded as the “Father of the American Calvary.
Waymark Code: WMDQ01
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 02/12/2012
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member sfwife
Views: 4

The statue was placed in 1947 and sculpted by Sidney Waugh (1904 - 1963). A parade of Revolutionary War veterans statues line the sides of a huge courtyard found to the rear of the west side of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. There are three to the right and the same amount to the left. If your back is to the Museum, this Pulaski statue is the first one on the right. Simply walk down the the level of stairs and it will be immediately to your right.

All the statues are made of bronze and look similar, both in composition, form, size and subject matter. This statue is approximately 9 feet or maybe a few inches more in height. It is definitely larger than life. The base is approximately 7 feet or so off the ground, of polished granite with an incised inscription on front which reads:

1748-1779
Native of Poland
General of the Continental Army
Despairing of liberty in his native land
He volunteered his services to the American Patriots.
Gave his life at the siege of Savannah.

SIRIS describes the statue as a standing portrait of General Pulaski dressed in his Revolutionary War uniform consisting of a waist-length jacket with fringed epaulets and large buttoned lapels, slim pants, tall boots, and a belt at his waist. He stands with his head turned to his proper right. His feet are spread apart and his proper left hand is on his left hip. In his proper right hand he brandishes a large sword. At his feet is a tree branch. The sculpture rests on a square base.

General Pulaski was a Polish nobleman who served under Washington during the American Revolution. After his successful battle at the Brandywine, he formed his own cavalry group named Pulaski's Legion. Pulaski's Legion was sent to the South to fight and it was during the siege of Savannah that Pulaski lost his life.

This piece was erected through the bequest of General William F. Reilly. The Reilly Trust was initially administered by First People's Bank, but as of the 1993 SOS! survey, Core States Bank was handling the Reilly Trust. This sculpture is one of several which comprises the William M. Reilly Memorial on the west side of the museum. The memorial honors Revolutionary War heroes. The SOS! survey cover sheet notes that current conservation of the piece is the responsibility of the Reilly Trust. C. Louis Borie was the architect of the base.

This area is one of the premier tourist attractions for Philadelphia and referenced several times in their official tourist site. Here is what they have to say:

In 1890 General William M. Reilly of the Pennsylvania National Guard bequeathed funds for a memorial to Revolutionary War heroes. Though it took decades to raise additional money, six sculptures were eventually installed northwest of the Art Museum.

Immortalized in bronze, the Marquis de Lafayette gestures flamboyantly as his cape billows around him. Another European volunteer, Major General Friedrich von Steuben, points steadfastly ahead. General Richard Montgomery, who died in the assault on Quebec, stands pensively with hat in hand. Maritime hero John Paul Jones is shown with his telescope, while General Casimir Pulaski poses fiercely with sword at the ready. Unusual for this group, the sculpture of General Nathanael Greene emphasizes nonmilitary aspects of the man’s character.

Marquis de Lafayette (c. 1947) by Raoul Josset Major
General Friedrich von Steuben (c. 1947) by Warren Wheelock
General Richard Montgomery (c. 1946) by J. Wallace Kelly
John Paul Jones (c. 1957) by Walker Hancock
General Casimir Pulaski (c. 1947) by Sidney Waugh
General Nathanael Greene (c. 1960) by Lewis Iselin Jr.
SOURCE

URL of the statue: [Web Link]

Visit Instructions:
You must have visited the site in person, not online.
Search for...
Geocaching.com Google Map
Google Maps
MapQuest
Bing Maps
Nearest Waymarks
Nearest Statues of Historic Figures
Nearest Geocaches
Create a scavenger hunt using this waymark as the center point
Recent Visits/Logs:
Date Logged Log User Rating  
Oscette visited General Casimir Pulaski - Philadelphia, PA 08/29/2015 Oscette visited it
mars888 visited General Casimir Pulaski - Philadelphia, PA 11/09/2013 mars888 visited it

View all visits/logs