The ''Juneau Monument'' is a public artwork by

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

artist

Richard Henry Park Richard Henry Park (also Richard Hamilton Park; February 17, 1838—November 7, 1902) was an American sculptor who worked in marble and bronze. He was commissioned to do work by the wealthy of the nineteenth century. He did a marble bust of John ...

located on the grounds of Juneau Park, which is in

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at th ...

. The base of the statue is made of

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

. On top of the base is a

bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...

statue of

Solomon Juneau Solomon Laurent Juneau, or Laurent-Salomon Juneau (August 9, 1793 – November 14, 1856) was a French Canadian fur trader, land speculator, and politician who helped found the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was born in Repentigny, Quebec, Canad ...

. On each side of the base are bronze reliefs. The statue is wide by high.

Description

The front of the limestone base is inscribed with the name of the figure depicted in the sculpture, “Solomon Juneau." The back of the base is inscribed, “The gift of Charles T. Bradley, and William H. Metcalf to the City of Milwaukee." On the north side of the base is a bronze relief of Juneau being greeted by Native Americans. Underneath the relief, an inscription reads, “Solomon Juneau, First Mayor of Milwaukee, MDCCCXXXXVI." On the south side of the base is a bronze relief of Juneau being elected to

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of a ...

. Underneath the relief is the inscription, “Solomon Juneau, First Mayor of Milwaukee, MDCCCXXXXVI.” The memorial statue is in size. The sculpture was unveiled on July 6, 1887 by Juneau's granddaughter, Hattie White.

Historical information

Solomon Juneau was a French Canadian born in a small village near

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...

Lower Canada The Province of Lower Canada (french: province du Bas-Canada) was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence (1791–1841). It covered the southern portion of the current Province of Quebec an ...

on August 9, 1793. Juneau was a French trader with the

American Fur Company The American Fur Company (AFC) was founded in 1808, by John Jacob Astor, a German immigrant to the United States. During the 18th century, furs had become a major commodity in Europe, and North America became a major supplier. Several British co ...

. In 1818, the American Fur Company established a trading post in Milwaukee. Juneau decided to purchase the land between the Milwaukee River and Lake Michigan and named it Juneau Town. He was the postmaster and the first president of the Village of Milwaukee. He was elected the first mayor of the City of Milwaukee in 1846. Juneau died in 1856 while making an Indian payment for the U.S. Government at a reservation in Keshena. Shoe manufacturers Charles T. Bradley and William H. Metcalf, friends of the Juneau family, donated the monument as a gift in remembrance of the first mayor of Milwaukee.

References

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External links

''Solomon Juneau'' from the Smithsonian's Save Outdoor Sculpture! surveyJuneau Monument
Greetings from Milwaukee, UWM Archives {{MilwaukeePublicArt 1887 establishments in Wisconsin 1887 sculptures Articles containing video clips Bronze sculptures in Wisconsin Monuments and memorials in Wisconsin Sculptures of men in Wisconsin Statues in Wisconsin