Photo Record
Images
Metadata
Object |
Negative, Glass Plate |
Photographer |
Watson, Madison Ellsworth |
Date |
1889 |
Location |
Vermont, Bennington, Monument Avenue |
Description |
Bennington Battle Monument at the time of the capstone laying ceremony Monday November 25, 1889. Monument encased in scaffolding with two flags flying from top. Buggies and pedestrians on Monument Avenue in foreground. |
Information |
On November 25, 1889 a crowd of 3,000 gathered to watch the capstone of the Bennington Battle Monument be hauled up the elevator and swung to its final placement 301 feet above the ground. The stone weighed about 2,200 pounds and was decorated for the trip with a Masonic banner and a bouquet of flowers. The ascent was paused at several stages to allow photographer Madison Watson to document the event. This photograph was taken just as the stone was ready to be swung into place. The celebration did not include other ceremony or speeches, though a cannon was fired. After the placement a group of men including several newspaper reporters rode the elevator up (a novel experience for the time) and took turns standing on the capstone waving their hats in the air above the platform. |
Related People |
Watson, Madison Ellsworth |
Subjects |
Bennington Battle Monument (Bennington, Vt.) |
Credit line |
Weichert-Isselhardt Collection, Gift of Tordis llg Isselhardt and Museum Purchase |
Catalog Number |
2015.6.931 |