John W. Thomas - Nashville, Tennessee
Posted by: BruceS
N 36° 08.930 W 086° 48.816
16S E 516768 N 4000472
Statue of businessman and President of the Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition in 1897. Located at Centennial Park in Nashville, Tennessee.
Waymark Code: WMGDWM
Location: Tennessee, United States
Date Posted: 02/19/2013
Views: 28
"A bronze full length portrait of John W. Thomas, the President of the 1897 Centennial Exposition of Tennessee. Thomas stands with his left foot forward and his right hand outstretched. He holds a cape in his left hand and wears a suit with knee-length jacket. The statue rests on a stone base with four rectangular bronze plaques. On one side of the statue the bronze plaque depicts in relief a seated woman turned to the side. She wears a long dress and holds a paper diagram or blueprint. She holds a torch in one hand and wears a crown on her head. On the other side is a bronze plaque depicting in relief a seated woman facing front. She wears long robes and appears to hold a statue in one hand. The monument is set on a concrete platform. The platform has two stone benches positioned at each cardinal direction, with a round bronze plaque between each of the two benches indicating the direction. Also at each corner of the platform is an 8 ft. doric column topped by an 18 in. bronze and glass lantern. There are five steps on each side of the platform." - Smithsonian Art Inventory
Inscription of plaque:
John W. Thomas
1830-1906
A Native of Nashville
Forty-eight years in the service
of the Nashville, Chattanooga &
St. Louis Railway;
President for twenty-two years.
President of the
Tennessee Centennial Exposition,
which resulted in securing
to Nashville this park.
A worthy man in all the lines of life,
An efficient man of affairs,
An upright and eminent citizen,
A Christian and a gentleman.
A friend and a brother
This memorial is erected by the employees of the
Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway
-1907-
Visit Instructions:
You must have visited the site in person, not online.