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Address 456 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101, USA | ||
Monument Square is a town square in Portland, Maine. The Time and Temperature Building and the Portland Public Library are on Congress Street across from the square, while One Monument Square and One City Center are located on the square.
Portland Soldiers and Sailors Monument
The Portland Soldiers and Sailors Monument is located in the center of Monument Square, on the former site of Portland's 1825 city hall. It was dedicated on October 28, 1891 and honors "those brave men of Portland, soldiers of the United States army and sailors of the navy of the United States, who died in defense of the country in the late civil war". Also known as "Our Lady of Victories", it is a bronze statue mounted on a granite base, depicting a female figure, clad in armor covered by flowing robes, with a furled flag in one had and a mace and shield in the other. The figure is an allegorical representation of Victory. On two sides of the base stand bronze groups of three figures, one depicting soldiers, and the other sailors.
The sculpture was created by Maine sculptor Franklin Simmons and the base was designed by New York City architect Richard Morris Hunt. The site's original landscaping, now substantially altered, was by Portland architect Francis H. Fassett. Its creation was made possible by fundraising activities of the local Grand Army of the Republic lodge. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 1, 1998.