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Columbus Monument at Druid Hill Park (Baltimore, MD)

admin — Mon, 11 May 2009 18:43:34 +0000

Location

Hanlon Drive at the northwest corner of Druid Hill Lake (Street View)

GPS: 39° 19′ 9.60″ N 76° 38′ 30.60″ W

History

The first monument dedicated to Christopher Columbus in the United States is the 44 foot tall obelisk on Hartford Road, just east of Lake Montebello. The structure was erected, in 1792, to commemorate the three-hundred year anniversary of the explorer’s discovery of America. During the 19th century a local legend developed stating that the obelisk was actually a monument to a horse of the same name, not the explorer. The Italian community refused to recognize the obelisk, eventually collecting funds and erecting their own statue on the shore of Druid Hill Lake. On Columbus Day in 1892 the monument was unveiled. The sculpture, carved by Albert Weinert, is a reproduction of artist Achille Canessa’s original. In 1950, Mayor Thomas D’Alesandro, Jr. placed a wreath on the neglected Hartford Road monument, finally putting an end to misconception, and giving equal worth to both memorials.

Notes

A third monument to Chris Columbus stands in the Inner Harbor near the Katyn Memorial and the Public Works Museum. Professor Wayne Schaumburg of Johns Hopkins University states that Mayor William Schaefer planned to move the Weinert Columbus to the Harbor East location but the Druid Hill neighborhood committees protested strongly. Instead, a new statue was created and dedicated, in 1984, with President Reagan attending the ceremony.

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Captain John O’Donnell Monument (Baltimore, MD)

admin — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:55:44 +0000

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Location

O’Donnell Street & S Curley Street (Street View)

GPS: 39° 16′ 48.74″ N 76° 34′ 29.60″ W

History

In August of 1785, Baltimore began trade with China when Captain John O’Donnell arrived at the harbor in a ship loaded with goods from the Asian country. Known as “The Father of the Potomac Canal”, O’Donnell purchased a large piece of waterfront land east of Fells Point. Already a successful merchant, the Irish-born Captain established an economic foundation in Canton that sustained through the Great Depression. A member of the East India Trading Company when he arrived on Maryland’s shores, O’Donnell wore many hats, and his various business interests made him one of the richest men in the country during his lifetime. The monument was created by artist Tylden Streett, a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art, who also sculpted the Fireman’s Memorial at Zion Church

Notes

Inside a fence in Canton Square, the memorial stands in a well-maintained garden. A plaque reads: “Captain John O’Donnell, the founder of the Canton Community was man of great vision and accomplishment. He initiated trade between Canton, China and Baltimore in 1785 operating his own merchant sailing vessels. This public square, once the site of Canton Market, is dedicated in his honor.” The monument was surveyed in 1993 and is in excellent condition.

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Columbus Obelisk (Baltimore, MD)

admin — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 15:38:48 +0000

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Location

Harford Road & Walther Avenue, just northeast of Lake Montebello (Street View)

GPS: 39° 20′ 10.82″ N 76° 34′ 28.74″ W

History

To commemorate the three-hundred year anniversary of Columbus discovering America, a forty-four foot obelisk was erected in Charm City. Made of brick with a stucco finish, the monument to Columbus is the oldest in the country, and world, that is still standing. Originally it was placed on the estate of French Consul to Baltimore, Charles Francois Adrian De Paulmier, Chevalier d’Anmour, and was moved to its current location in 1964. Rumor has it that one evening De Paulmier was entertaining guests, which he did frequently, and they started discussing the great men of the western world. It was mentioned that there was not a single monument to Christopher Columbus in America. De Paulmier promised to change this fact, placing the monolith on his property shortly thereafter.

Notes

Directly across the street from Herring Run Park, northeast of Lake Montebello on Harford Road, the memorial is tucked into a wooded corner. A well-trimmed hedge and garden encircle the obelisk and enormous aged trees tower around the structure. The park surroundings are as tranquil as any in the city, making this one of the finer environments I have found a monument in. The inscription on the front reads: Sacred to the Memory of Chris. Columbus Oct. XII MDCC VIIIC.

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Christopher Columbus Monument At Harbor East (Baltimore, MD)

admin — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 02:56:36 +0000

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Location

E Falls Ave and Eastern Ave (Street View)

GPS: 39° 17′ 7.16″ N 76° 36′ 13.24″ W

History

Dedicated October 8, 1984 by Mayor of Baltimore William Donald Schaefer and President Ronald Reagan, the statue depicts the history-making explorer who discovered the New World. Carved in Italian Carrara marble, the monument is a gift of the Italian American Organization United of Maryland and the Italian American Community of Baltimore.

Notes

We had to ask at the Baltimore Inner Harbor Visitor Center to track down this historic monument – one of two Columbus statues in the city (the other is in Druid Hill Park). None of the three employees working there knew its location offhand, but were soon able to find it online. It’s at the edge of Harbor East and Little Italy, across the street from the restaurant Della Notte, east of Pier Six Pavilion and signs marked Columbus Center (also right near the Public Works Museum). Columbus faces east along Eastern Avenue. The monument and piazza in which it resides are quite striking, with relief work adorning each face of the marble base. The Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria are depicted, along with Columbus’ birthplace in Genoa and his landing and meeting with the Native Americans.

Nearby

Links

Columbus Monument on a Baltimore tourism website
Smithsonian entry for this monument
On Panoramio & Flickr