The James A. Garfield Memorial, tucked away in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, makes for a grim reminder of the life and unexpected end of the 20th President of the United States. Completed in 1896, this spooky stage continues to captivate and unsettle visitors.
Artistic virtuosos Augustus Saint-Gaudens and architect Stanford White collaborated to create this memorial, adorned with a woman wielding a sword and a palm, symbolizing Garfield's odyssey through life.
The engraving reads 'A. ST GAUDENS '95', 'E PLURIBUS UNUM', crowned with the countenance of the Republic. Beneath the bust, you'll find 'MDCCC LXXXI', 'MDCCCLXXXI', 'MDCCCXCB' etched in stone.
Despite the president who ordered Garfield's assassination passing in June 1882, this eerie sight continues to be a popular part of Philadelphia's outdoor artwork, under the Association for Public Art's Museum Without Walls: AUDIO interpretive audio program. The presidential presence casts a 20-century shadow over the park.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Leroy
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