Reprinted with permission of
the Journal-News
By Richard O Jones
JournalNews
HAMILTON — Approximately $150,000 has been pledged so far to
bring a statue of Alexander Hamilton to the city that bears his name.
The City of Sculpture and Historic Hamilton Inc. have teamed
up for the project, which will place a larger-than-life bronze statue of the
famous statesman in the middle of High Street at Journal Square. According to Bill Wilks, chairman of the
Alexander Hamilton Sculpture Committee, the project needs another $100,000 by
Jan. 30 to complete the statue and accompanying educational materials. The fundraising effort has been going on
since the announcement of the project in June 2003.
Most of the contributions have come in small increments from
a variety of individuals, said committee member Gerry Hammond.
Children from Hamilton’s elementary schools conducted a
drive to collect pennies for the statue, she said, and Hayes Elementary School
led the campaign by donating over $1,000.
“We’ve had many service clubs and other organizations ... make
contributions, too,” Hammond said. On Thursday, the committee accepted a $1,000
check from the Project Committee of the Leadership Hamilton Alumni Association,
which sold Christmas cards designed by area elementary school students.
The plan includes not only the placement of the sculpture,
officially titled “The American Cape,” but a series of plaques to be placed
around Journal Square that will give historical information regarding Alexander
Hamilton and his accomplishments. Hamilton signed the Declaration of
Independence and served as the first Secretary of the Treasury under George
Washington. His portrait has been on various denominations of U.S. currency
since 1861. He died July 11, 1804 after a famous duel with Aaron Burr.
“Those who contribute $100 or more will be listed in the
historical programs that will be distributed at the dedication,” Wilks said.
“Those who are able to give $1,000 or more will be permanently listed on the
large bronze markers that are being designed for the center of Journal
Square.” “We prefer that a lot of
people partner with us so that everybody will have ownership,” Hammond said. Plans
are also in the works for a fountain and benches to be installed at Journal
Square to accompany the statue.
An international search for a sculpture design resulted in
the selection of “The American Cape” by sculptor Kristen Visbal of Lewes, Del.
The statue will be created using the “lost wax method” of bronze casting. The
first step, the creation of a clay model, has been finished and is being
converted to wax at the foundry in Norman, Okla. Visbal will go to the foundry
Jan. 26 and will spend a week making refinements, Hammond said. After that, the
wax model will be shipped to Visbal’s Delaware studio so that she can add the
“delicate details,” such as hair and the writing on the scroll that the statue
will hold.
More information on the artist and the lost wax method is
available at visbalsculpture.com on the Internet.
Donations may be sent to Alexander Hamilton Sculpture, c/o the Hamilton Community Foundation, 319 N. Third St., Hamilton, Ohio 45011.