[sorabji]

This is one of my favorite Queens cemetery finds. From a distance you might think that this is an uncommonly tall grave marker but in fact it is the centerpiece of a small and largely unknown Civil War memorial at Calvary Cemetery in Woodside, Queens. Buried at this site are the bodies of 21 unidentified Civil War veterans. The small memorial park is contained within Calvary Cemetery but is maintained by the New York City Parks Department. The monument has endured over 140 years of exposure to the elements. In addition to natural exposure to wind and rain considerable damage to the bronze sculptures is blamed on the former presence of a nearby ammonia factory. The bronze statues are now pockmarked and riddled with damage. In 2007 Parks began a restoration of the monument but that restoration appears to have halted. These pictures show the progress of the restoration and where it stands today. Over the last several years this monument has attracted the interest of some Civil War groups and associations. Still, according to the sign by the marker: "The monument is in need of repairs and Parks seeks sponsors to preserve this historic site."




Built in 1866 by Daniel Draddy the Calvary Civil War Memorial was for many years a centerpiece of activity for veterans groups and Civil War memorial ceremonies. A New York Times story of June 1, 1875, described an elaborate procession which began in lower Manhattan and reached its climax at this monument. A 60-voice choir sang an ode written especially for the occasion, at which speakers and government dignitaries reflected on the solemnity of the sacrifice of the soldiers who died to preserve the Union. At the close of the lavish ceremony all present proceeded to the grave of General Corcoran and then to the graves of other veterans buried throughout Calvary.

These three images show where elements from the monument are obviously missing. The first image shows one of the four corners of the monument. Missing from this and from the other three corners are bronze eagles. Two of those eagles are known to have been stolen while the others are in storage/safe-keeping at the cemetery. The second photos shows where other elements from the obelisk have been stolen. The third shows a detail of one of the four corners of the obelisk. Believed to have been present at these spots were small bronze cannons.




Three of the four life-size statues are missing pieces, with the Axman being the only fully intact statue. The Axman, in fact, was the subject of the Parks Department's initial restoration of this monument. In 2007, after a period of research into the history of this monument, the statue received a fresh coat of paint. In preparation for this Parks tested a discrete sesction of the statue to verify what metal it was made from. The statue is, in fact, made of bronze. The first picture below shows the Axman before the restoration. The second picture shows the back of the statue, with a yellow stain where the statue was tested by Parks. The third photo shows the statue after the restoration.



Larger version of these images can be found at my page of Calvary Soldiers Monument photos.

The restoration begun in 2007 has apparently halted, and the Soldiers Monument at Calvary looks rather lopsided with only one of the four statues fully restored. Additionally it appears that the work done on the Axman statue has already begun to wear away.The first photo below (from March, 2009) shows where some of the green paint has already been weathered away. The other two photos show the pulverized state of the other life-size statues. It would be a shame to see this quirky yet charming monument fall back into disrepair, but in these financial times it may not be surprising to see such a relatively obscure project fall off the city's radar.



While wandering other sections of Calvary I happened to spot the burial site of the Draddy family, a plot which includes the monument's creator Daniel Draddy. Not far from the Draddy plot is the tomb of Maurice J.Power, an influential New Yorker who was involved in the creation of the Soldiers Monument. The Draddy brothers were actively involved in all aspects of funerary art and tombstone craft. Their name appears at the base of numerous markers throughout Calvary. The first photo below shows the Draddy family plot, the second shows the Maurice Power mausoleum, and the third shows a marker which bears the Draddy Bros. name at its base.