From the Georgia Historic Marker:
James Edward Oglethorpe (1696-1785)
The monument in this Square to James Edward Oglethorpe - the great soldier-philanthropist who founded the colony of Georgia - was erected by the State of Georgia, the City of Savannah and various Patriotic Societies. Impressive ceremonies marked its unveiling in 1910.
The 9 foot bronze statue of Oglethorpe is the work of one of America's foremost sculptors, the celebrated Daniel Chester French. He has depicted the Founder of Georgia in the full dress of a British general of the period. Oglethorpe is prtrayed with sword in hand; alert and ready for council or action. At his feet is a palmetto frond. the statue faces southward symbolizing the threat of Spain's imperial ambitions to the young colony.
The pedestal and base of the monument were designed by Henry Bacon, the eminent New York architect whose collaborations with Daniel Chester French include the Lincoln Memorial. The four lions at the corners of the lower base hold shields on which appear, respectively, the coat of arms of Oglethorpe and the great seals of the Colony of Georgia, the State, and the City of Savannah. On the pedestal of the monument is carved a portion of the text of the charter which was granted by Parliment in 1732 to "the Trustees for establishing the colony of Georgia in America."
025-45 Georgia Historical Commission 1957
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Inscription: (Base of sculpture, proper left side:) DANIEL C. FRENCH, Sc. (Base of sculpture, proper right side:) JNO WILLIAMS INC/BRONZE FOUNDRY (On front of base:) ERECTED BY/THE STATE OF GEORGIA/THE CITY OF SAVANNAH/AND THE PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES OF THE STATE/TO THE MEMORY OF/THE GREAT SOLDIER/EMINENT STATESMAN AND/FAMOUS PHILANTHROPIST/GENERAL JAMES EDWARD/OGLETHORPE WHO IN/THIS CITY ON THE 12TH/DAY OF FEBRUARY/AD 1733 FOUNDED AND/ESTABLISHED THE/COLONY OF GEORGIA (On sides of base: excerpts from the original colony charter) signed
Description: General James Edward Oglethorpe stands on a rectangular base which is mounted on a rectangular, multitiered base adorned with four roaring lions, one seated on each corner. General Oglethorpe has shoulder-length hair and wears the uniform of a British general and a tricorn hat. He holds a sword in his proper right hand, the tip of which points to the ground to the right of his proper right foot. His proper left hand is placed on a satchel at his hip. The sword's sheath hangs from his proper left side. The lower part of the base is decorated with garlands of flowers and pine cones on palmetto leaves. Each of the four roaring lions sits with one paw placed on top of a shield placed in front of it. The shields bear the coat of arms of General Oglethorpe, and the great seals of the colony of Georgia, the state of Georgia, and the city of Savannah.
Remarks: Erected by the state of Georgia, the city of Savannah, and the patriotic societies of the state. In memory of General James Edward Oglethorpe (1696-1785), a British general and member of parliament who chartered the colony of Georgia on February 12, 1733. He also served as Georgia's first governor. The cost of the monument was approximately $65,000. Before the original dedication, a lack of funds prevented the inclusion of inscriptions regarding the Colonial Charter. These inscriptions were carved in 1929 by George A. Worrell. The figure's sword has been stolen twice. For related information see William Harden's "A History of Savannah and South Georgia," New York: The Lewis Pub. Co., 1913, pg. 500-501; and Dorothy H. Stewart's "The Monuments and Fountains of Savannah," Savannah: Savannah Park and Tree Department, 1993. IAS files contain a bibliography of additional sources of information on the monument. IAS files also contain a Cultural Property Assessment Form from the Savannah Monuments Project.
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