Statue of Benjamin Franklin (Portland, Oregon)
| Statue of Benjamin Franklin | |
|---|---|
 The statue in 2018 | |
 | |
| Artist | George Berry |
| Year | 1942 |
| Type | Sculpture |
| Subject | Benjamin Franklin |
| Dimensions | 4.6 m (15 ft) |
| Location | Portland, Oregon, United States |
| 45°30′10″N 122°36′25″W / 45.50279°N 122.60689°W / 45.50279; -122.60689 | |
| Owner | Franklin High School |
A statue of Benjamin Franklin stands outside Franklin High School, in Portland, Oregon's South Tabor neighborhood, in the United States. A work by the sculptor George Berry and his assistants, it was installed in 1942.
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 temporarily and then returned as part of a major renovation project.[2][3]
See also
References
- ^ "Franklin High School Statue – "Benjamin Franklin" – Portland OR". Living New Deal. Archived from the original on September 8, 2015. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
- ^ Andrews, Garrett (7 September 2016). "Portland school's statue on the move". Daily Journal of Commerce. Archived from the original on 3 January 2018. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
- ^ Frazier, Laura (22 August 2015). "Interim schools and construction up ahead for Portland students as bond work continues". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 3 January 2018. 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.
External links
- Benjamin Franklin, (sculpture). at the Smithsonian Institution
- Franklin Statue – Portland, OR at Waymarking
- Letter: Let's preserve the historic atmosphere of Franklin High School by Joyce (Pennie) Quinlin Gray (April 23, 2013), The Oregonian
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