Volunteer Firemen's Monument, (sculpture)
N 30° 16.393 W 097° 44.459
14R E 621100 N 3349731
This is one of the four oldest monuments on the Texas State Capitol grounds. It is dedicated to the volunteer firemen who lost their lives in the line of duty.
Waymark Code: WMEEMX
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 05/17/2012
Views: 12
This Volunteer Firemen's Monument was originally placed and dedicated on the south yard of the Texas State Capitol property in 1896, making it one of the oldest monuments present on the Capitol grounds. However, around 1905, the monument was downsized, literally! It was redesigned, made shorter, and the statue was replaced with the one seen today. This was done to make this monument more consistent with the other three major statues that form the focal points of the Grand Walk around the south lawn. Formerly a granite statue was mounted upon the base, but was replaced in 1905 with the bronze image we see now. This makes all four sculptures on the four major monuments the same style, with granite bases and bronze statues.
The bronze sculptures on top are those of a fireman holding a child. The fireman holds the small child in his bent left arm. The fireman was holding a lantern in his right hand which is held down along his side. He is dressed in a uniform of peaked helmet, long coat, and boots. The child is dressed in a night shirt and is pointing with his right arm toward the southeast. These bronze figures are mounted atop a large grey granite, stepped base that is topped by a cornice construction decorated with a hose carriage, a fire engine, a hook and ladder, and crossed trumpets.
The markings on the sculpture consists of the following inscriptions: Manufactured by
W.H. Mullins
Salem
Ohio
J. Segesman Sculptor
The inscriptions on the stepped granite base are as follows:
(East side or front of monument)
(at top of East side)
In Memory of [list of 13 names and dates]
(at base of second step)
Volunteer Firemen
(at base of first step)
Erected by the State Firemen's Ass'n of Texas
(North side of momument)
[list of 23 names and locations]
(West side of monument)
(top of West side)
Dumas-Sunray Disaster
July 29, 1956
Dumas
[list of 7 names]
Sunray
[list of 8 names]
[another list of another 48 names and dates]
(on second step of base)
1896
(South side (proper right) of monument)
(top of South side)
Texas City Disaster
April 16, 1947
[list of 28 names]
[another list of 13 names and dates]
TITLE: Volunteer Firemen's Monument, (sculpture)
ARTIST(S): Frank Teich, designer; John G Segesman, sculptor; Jeageli & Martin, contractor; W.H. Mullins Company, founder
DATE: Original 1896. Dedicated July 17, 1896. Replacement statue: 1905. Dedicated 1905.
MEDIUM: Sculpture: bronze; Base: granite
CONTROL NUMBER: IAS 77006150
Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link]
PHYSICAL LOCATION:
This Firemen's Monument is on the south end of the Great Walk on the south lawn of the Texas State Capital property, near the gate where 11th Street intersects with N. Congress Ave.
The Texas State Capitol address is:
1100 N Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78712.
DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH:
The fireman does have a lantern in his hand now. It must have been replaced after the other went missing.
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Visit Instructions:
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