When the monument built in honor of Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt was erected on Broadway in the early 20th century, it received national acclaim for its exquisite detail and was considered a fitting tribute to the late magnate. Now, the statue sits dilapidated and decaying, with many pieces eroded by time or lost to vandalism.
A group of local citizens has proposed to restore and relocate the statue from a small park on Broadway to the corner of Bellevue Avenue and Memorial Boulevard. The self-appointed committee believes the effort would provide more public access to the statue and increase awareness about Vanderbilt and the city’s storied and artistic culture.
“I felt that it was time for a group of people to get together to address the condition of the monument and try to bring it back to the way it looked originally,” said Federico Santi, a committee member. “We think it needs to be in a more prominent place than stuck in the back of a park that most people don’t even notice when you go by it.”
The Vanderbilt memorial was designed by artist Eugene Morahan and placed on Broadway in the years following the businessman’s death aboard the RMS Lusitania in 1915. The original work depicted an athletic youth reigning in two fervent thoroughbred horses in bronze sculpture set upon a cylindrical pedestal and a large, working horse trough attached to an octagonal, rose granite base. At the time of the statue’s creation, the horse and carriage were still a common form of transportation, and for years the monument provided drinking water to the thirsty equines carrying their masters up and down Broadway.
In the mid-20th century, the memorial was moved off Broadway to a small park nearby, and in the process, the holes where water was pumped to the trough were filled and the base replaced with concrete, with the original pieces sold off by the city. More recently, the sculpture of the determined boy atop one of the horses was stolen, and the statue now sits tucked away, riderless and deteriorating with time.
“It’s sad to see it in its current condition,” said Paul Szapary, Vanderbilt’s great nephew and also a committee member. “If you’ve seen photographs of it when it was new, it was quite elaborate and a very, very attractive statue. It’s unfortunate that the rider has been ripped off, and I think the base needs some work. It’s just too bad. I think it’s a wonderful asset to Newport.”
Vanderbilt was known as an avid sportsman and a prominent lover of horses, and his memorial was commissioned by 50 friends upon his death. A plaque on the piece still seen today bears a small dedication to Vanderbilt’s memory.
The committee proposing the project consists of Santi; Szapary and his wife, Diana; Paul Miller, curator emeritus of the Preservation Society of Newport County; Linda Gordon, who has experience in historic monument relocation and restoration, and Harle Tinney, whose family purchased the sculpture’s original granite base and corbel. The group has met several times and been joined by Scott Wheeler, Newport superintendent of parks, grounds and forestry. Wheeler has been supportive of the committee, according to members.
Three companies have been approached to complete the proposed relocation and restoration, which includes reopening the holes in the trough, recutting the missing base and corbel, replacing the missing bronze elements from the sculptures, redesigning the male figure to replicate its original incarnation and ensuring water flow to the statue. The effort would be privately funded, and the committee plans to approach foundations, private parties and clubs between America and England to secure the necessary resources to complete the work. An endowment fund is envisioned to cover the cost of future maintenance expenses.
“It is just in a state of complete disrepair,” said Santi. “We know relocating and restoring it is a heavy lift, but we’re willing to see it through.”
The corner at Bellevue Avenue and Memorial Boulevard, where the monument is proposed to be moved, has the capability to allow for water flow to the statue, and is currently owned by the state.
The proposal has been met with mixed reaction thus far. When the committee presented the idea to the Off Broadway Neighborhood Association at a meeting in December, many were in agreement, however, others said the statue should be simply restored and remain at its current site. On Jan. 12, the City Council unanimously voted to receive communication from the committee proposing the statue’s restoration and move. “The wealth of the city’s culture should be brought to the public’s attention again,” said Miller. “This piece is both interesting artistically and as a representative of civic pride and of the city and community’s appreciation for Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, for his personal qualities, his civic involvement and his sportsmanship. To bring that monument would be a wonderful attribute and a wonderful addition to the city’s urban landscape.”
Vanderbilt was a famous figure whose family name goes hand-in- hand with Newport and the city’s history. Szapary believes the current inhabitants of the city Vanderbilt called home would welcome it.
“I think it would be appropriate if his statue was in better shape,” Szapary said. “I think the public would appreciate it. If it can be repaired, I think a lot of people would like to see it and it could be an attraction.”
My comments are reflected in the title of a recent book: “Vanderbilt:The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty”.
Let the statue fall as did the so-called dynasty.
This would be a nice centerpiece for the Historic Spring property, which is now just an eyesore.
I think it would be great to see it restored and moved to the proposed new location. In the summer animals could drink from it again as was intended. The life of AGV and his heroism as the Lusitania went done are well worth memorializing in the heart of Newport.