Samantha Reed Smith - Augusta, ME - Smithsonian Art Inventory Sculptures on Waymarking.com

In Augusta, by the Maine State Museum, is this sculpture/memorial for Samantha Reed Smith.

The statue is located near the southwest corner of the museum, visible from the road to the parking lot.

The statue is roughly life-sized, cast in bronze and set on a stone pedestal. The form is of a girl, smiling, her extended hands holding a dove, and a small bear at her feet. A plaque at the base states the following:

"Samantha Reed Smith
June 29, 1972 - August 25, 1985
Maine's Young Ambassador of Goodwill"

Nearby is a rock with a plaque on it with the following text:

"In 1982, ten year old Samantha Smith wrote a letter to Yuri Andropov, the leader of the Soviet Union asking, 'Why do you want to go to war with the United States?' Mr. Andropov's reply to that letter, his invitation for Samantha to visit, and her subsequent trip with her parents to the Soviet Union, began a personal dialogue between the peoples of the Soviet Union and the United States that many believe contributed to the thaw in the dangerous Cold War of the late 20th Century.

Samantha's untimely death at age 13 in an airplane accident was mourned by adults and children world wide. Maine is proud of her native daughter and we remember the message she taught us:

One child can play a powerful part in bringing peace to the world."

There is more to this story on history.com. Link: (visit link)

TITLE: Samantha Reed Smith ARTIST(S): Glen Hines DATE: 1/1/1900 MEDIUM: Bronze on Stone Base CONTROL NUMBER: IAS 71500975 Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link] PHYSICAL LOCATION: Southeast Corner of Maine State Museum, and near the Maine State Capitol DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH: Proposed added text: Founder Mark: Modern Art Foundry, New York, NY, located on the bronze base, below the raised left foot. Other marks visible, as well.

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.

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Date Logged Log   08/14/2023 chrissyml visited it