A New Head and Shoulders for Miles Standish Statue
A New Head and Shoulders for Miles Standish Statue, 1926
World Wide Photos Boston Bureau
Copy print
DRHS purchase, PDAL.2013.023
Photograph depicting the reconstructed head and shoulders of the Myles Standish Monument about to be hoisted to the top, 1926. The head and shoulders could not be supported by the damaged legs (from lightning strike in 1922) so it had to be brought back down. New legs were carved, and an almost entirely new statue stands today atop the shaft.
In 1872 the Standish Monument Association began construction of the Myles Standish Monument, designed by architect Alden Frink, on Captain’s Hill, land once owned by Standish. The statue atop the monument was created by Irish-American sculptor, Stephen J. O’Kelley and carved by Italian craftsmen, Stefano Brignoli and Luigi Limonetta. Construction halted for many years due to lack of funds. When construction restarted in 1889 different granite had to be used, a change that can be noticed today about halfway up the shaft.
Related Object: Head from Statue of Myles Standish, circa 1930, Ink on paper, DRHS Postcard Collection.
This postcard features a small child sitting atop the original head of the Myles Standish Monument statue. This photo was taken in 1922 though created into a postcard for sale after the new statue was erected.
Digging Duxbury
The quest for archaeological evidence of the Pilgrim past began with an 1833 dig, one of the earliest in U.S. history.
Coming to a Pilgrim Town
Coming to a Pilgrim Town
Duxbury’s Pilgrim history, combined with the town’s natural beauty, initiated a tourist boom.
Collecting in a Pilgrim Town
Collecting in a Pilgrim Town
The tourism boom brought another enterprise, the creation and sale of Pilgrim-themed souvenirs.
Lasting Legacy
Duxbury's Lasting Legacy
Duxbury never forgot its Pilgrim origins. How could it? The names continue to generate interest today.
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