Benjamin Franklin (Berry)

Benjamin Franklin
The statue in 2018
Benjamin Franklin
Location in Portland, Oregon
Artist George Berry
Year 1942 (1942)
Type Sculpture
Subject Benjamin Franklin
Dimensions 4.6 m (15 ft)
Location Portland, Oregon, United States
Coordinates 45°30′10″N 122°36′25″W / 45.50279°N 122.60689°W / 45.50279; -122.60689Coordinates: 45°30′10″N 122°36′25″W / 45.50279°N 122.60689°W / 45.50279; -122.60689
Owner Franklin High School

Benjamin Franklin is an outdoor 1942 sculpture depicting the Founding Father of the same name by George Berry, installed outside Franklin High School, in Portland, Oregon's South Tabor neighborhood, in the United States.

Description and history

The sculpture was one of two Works Progress Administration (WPA) projects benefitting Franklin between 1939 and 1942; the other was the construction of the school's athletic field. The statue was funded by Franklin alumni and students, who raised $15,000 to commission an artist from the Federal Art Project, one of WPA's five independent branches. George Berry and his team of assistants created a 40-ton sandstone statue of Franklin, which was erected at the school's north entrance, overlooking the athletic field, in 1942. Including its pedestal, the work measures 15-foot (4.6 m) tall. The pedestal includes built-in benches and the inscription, "One today is worth two tomorrows."[1]

In 2016, the statue was removed temporary and replaced as part of a major renovation project.[2][3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Franklin High School Statue – "Benjamin Franklin" – Portland OR". Living New Deal. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  2. ↑ Andrews, Garrett (7 September 2016). "Portland school's statue on the move". Djcoregon.com. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  3. ↑ "Interim schools and construction up ahead for Portland students as bond work continues". Oregonlive.com. Retrieved 2 January 2018.

Further reading

  • "Work Begins on New Field". The Oregonian. August 15, 1939.
  • "Olden Dream Comes True: School Dedicates Franklin Statue". The Oregonian. May 9, 1942.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.