In Honor of Christopher Columbus - Denver, CO
Posted by: 
Outspoken1
N 39° 44.372 W 104° 59.323
13S E 500966 N 4398848
Statue honoring Christopher Columbus presented to Colorado
Waymark Code: WM30EA
Location: Colorado, United States
Date Posted: 01/20/2008
Views: 83
The statue, created by William F. Joseph, was presented to the city by Alfred and Anna Adamo in 1970. His donation was in honor of Colorado as the first state to recognize Columbus Day as a holiday.
The plaque reads as follows:
In Honor of Christopher Columbus
(Cristoforo Colombo 1451-1506)
Italian Visionary and Great Navigator
This bold explorer was the first European
to set foot on uncharted land, on a West Indies
beach in 1492. His four voyages brought Europe
and the Americas together, forever changing
history. A new nation was to rise. A new
Democracy was born.
Alfred P. Adamo and Anne E. Adamo
June 24, 1970
Sculptor William F. Joseph
Over the years, the Columbus Day celebration has sparked protests by leaders of the American Indian Movement (AIM) and counter-protests by Italian-American associations throughout the country. Denver has evolved into having two parades for the Columbus Day Celebration; one group celebrates Columbus' discovery and the other group protests the havoc (or genocide as AIM calls it) imparted on the native Americans by the European immigrants. The statue was symbolically defaced with fake blood during more violent protests in 1989. AIM Activist Russell Means was found not guilty of defacement of the monument as his act was considered by the court a protest and protected under practicing free speech. The city did not appeal the decision and the statue was cleaned with no permanent damage . Visit this link for a list of worldwide statues to Christopher Columbus.
A marble bench was donated by Alfred P. Adamo in 1975.