Historical Overview:
As early as 1870, local residents discussed
erecting a memorial to the men of the surrounding communities who served in the
Civil War. In 1888, John T. Rockwell, Caleb Camp, and William L. Camp donated
land to the Winchester Soldiers' Memorial Park Association, (a corporation
approved by the state's General Assembly in 1887) for the purpose of
"erecting a fitting memorial" to those who served in the Civil War.
Members of the Palmer Post #33 of the Grand Army of the Republic organized the local effort for such a memorial and along with the Park Association members began planning and construction of the Memorial and Park.
Architect Robert W. Hill and sculptor George E. Bissell collaborated to design the Memorial structure. Hill's many commissions included the Connecticut State Armory in Waterbury, the Litchfield Courthouse, the Thomaston Opera House, and buildings at the Taft School in Watertown. The Winchester Soldiers' Memorial, however, is his only known Civil War monument. Bissell, a veteran of the Civil War, also designed Civil War monuments in Waterbury, Colchester, and the Civil War Memorial "Union" in Salisbury, in addition to numerous other works throughout northeastern United States including the statue of Chancellor John Watts in the Trinity Churchyard at Broadway and Wall Street in New York City and in other statutes including statutes of Abraham Lincoln in Iowa and Edinburgh, Scotland.
The Winchester Soldiers' Monument, built with granite rock supplied from a quarry near the town's Highland Lake, is fashioned in the style of an old world feudal tower with a watch tower projecting above the battlements of the structure on which stands a bronze cast figure of a Civil War Soldier. The Monument is 20 feet square at the base and 15 feet square at the top and stands nearly 44 feet high from the ground to the top of the battlements and rises another 20 feet to the top of the soldier's color staff. The bronze cast soldier stands on a tourelle (a tower jumping out of a wall) at one corner of the structure. The solder, sculptured by Bissell, was cast by the Henry Bonnard Bronze Co. of New York City. It is believed that local resident and Civil War veteran Colonel Samuel B. Horne served as a model for the bronze statue. Horn is said to have been the first man to enlist in the Civil War from Winchester and received the Congressional Medal of Honor.
The granite is an uncommon color that appears at times to be pinkish cast and at others times greenish gray. Some of the individual stones are as large as 56" long and 15" high and at the base 26" deep. Construction of the Monument on the top of Camp Hill in 1888-1890 required unique engineering and physical labor.
Inside the Memorial there are three floors each with a room 12 feet square. At each floor, windows provide an overlook of the area. A wooden internal stairway leads to each floor and to the top of the tower.
On the first floor is a marble fireplace and nearby a wall-size granite dedication plaque. On the second floor there are five tablets attached to the walls. These plaques contain the names of more than 300 men who served in the Civil War. The third floor allows visitors to examine the buildings interior construction.
The monument is on a crest of Camp Hill on Crown Street overlooking Winsted's downtown Main Street. When it was built there were only a few trees on the hillside and the view from the monument provided a panorama of the area and could be seen from throughout town as well as locations in Barkhamsted and Colebrook.
The walls of the monument are built with three layers of material: granite on the exterior, cement on the interior, and brick in between. All floors are of concrete. The roof contains a trapdoor for access.
Local artisans and craftsmen built the monument. The stone work was done by Snow & Wooster and the oak window frames were done by E.B. Parsons, both of Winsted.
The success of the Winchester Soldiers' Monument and Park as a war memorial derives from the skillful use of a picturesque architectural style - Gothic Revival - and its location on a picturesque site. The site is outstanding for its hill-top topography and for its location above but close to the center city area of Winsted allowing easy access from Rt. 44, the main east-west connection going through northwest Connecticut.
In working out the relationship of the site, building mass and architectural style, the designers used the wall along the front of the site, composed of similarly quarried granite as the monument itself, to knit the components together. The stone fence with its fanciful gateway entrance, also made of similarly quarried granite, establishes the site as an integral part of the Memorial as a whole. The use of this picturesque approach to the design combined military architecture associated with armories to achieve a unified Memorial Park.
The Memorial was completed in 1890 and officially
dedicated Thursday, September 11, 1890. At the dedication ceremony, Governor
Morgan G. Bulkeley and other state and national figures attended. Also at the
dedication, attended by an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 people, were many
surviving Civil War soldiers. In newspaper accounts of the dedication and in
interviews with dignitaries at the time, it was noted that the monument was
built to stand for ages and called "one of the handsomest monuments in the
state."
IMPORTANCE:
Since its dedication, the Memorial has become a standing reminder for all citizens of every age of the dedication of all those who have served our country in armed conflicts.
During World War II, the monument served as a watch tower for aerial activity to provide early warning protection for our state and nation. Through the war years, many town residents served as watchers during the nights at the top of the Memorial while working in ammunition plants in Waterbury and aircraft plants in Hartford during the day.
When the town seal was established, the Memorial tower became the central icon. It also serves as the central icon on the badges of the Winchester Police Department. It was the first design chosen by the Foothills Visiting Nurses Association for a Christmas ornament commemorative series. The Memorial is the central icon on the local lodge of Elks pin and on historical souvenir dishes and plates.
During the Christmas holiday season, the top of the Monument is adorned with lights configured in the shape of a Christmas tree and when lit it is visible for miles around.
Today, the Monument and Memorial grounds continue to serve as a reminder of the sacrifices made by all citizens for freedom and provide a location for reflection and rest. In recent years the building has been visited by classes of school children and the park has served as a gathering location for Memorial Day and Veteran' Day ceremonies, for picnics, concerts and plays, and even for weddings and birthday parties.
The Monument and Park has drawn visitors, artists, and
historians from throughout the country. Its guest book also has included visitors
from countries around the world.
RENOVATIONS - PAST AND PRESENT:
On April 14, 1909, the town officially received from the Winchester Soldiers' Memorial Park Association the title, interest, land, and premises and became authorized to maintain the property, to beautify the grounds, monuments, and premises and to make such appropriations necessary for the care and maintenance of the grounds and buildings.
As early as 30 years after construction, public awareness of the need to continue to protect the Monument was noted. In November of 1918, Colonel Horne himself expressed concern about what he called the deteriorating condition of the monument. Appearing before the town's governing body, Horne sought funds for repair work and the funds were grated.
During the war years of the 1940s in preparing the structure as a watch tower, renovations and changes were made to the building including the removal of a bronze door and the construction of a wooden enclosure on top of the building. Electricity was also brought to the structure at this time.
In the 1960s, stone work re-pointing was done and the cracking concrete apron at the base of the monument was covered with asphalt.
In preparation for the town's bicentennial in 1971, additional, but minor, repairs were made to the structure.
In the mid 1970s the Winchester Board of Selectmen authorized the use of a 70-year old trust fund for the construction of a decorative water fountain on the Park grounds.
In the late 1970s broken glass windows were replaced by Plexiglas.
In 1983 major restoration effort was initiated by the Winsted Lodge of Elks #844.
In July 1985, the Board of Selectmen established the Soldiers' Monument Commission to develop policy concerning the proper use and maintenance of the Soldiers' Monument and to preserve and safeguard the structure and surrounding park land.
Shortly after the establishment of the Commission, the Monument was fenced off to protect the public from shifting granite and loose stone and metal straps were placed around the tower's stone work to prevent further deterioration and movement of the granite walls.
Between 1985 and 1987, in an effort to prevent the toppling of the tourelle upon which stands the bronze soldier and further bulging of the granite rock, a major restoration was undertaken costing more than $100,000. The renovation included the removal of sections of the exterior walls and refortification of the tourelle. However, further exterior work that had been recommended in engineering studies remained untouched because of the lack of funding. The purpose of the renovation that had been completed was primarily to prevent further deterioration and allow for the safe use of the facility.
In 1987 the Monument was re-opened to the public on a limited use basis.
Since 1994 the Soldiers' Monument Commission has been investigating the need for more extensive renovations of the building and grounds. In an effort to gather local support for the work, the commission has been raising public awareness of the monument's condition and the beauty of the grounds with public events and building openings. Additionally, the commission has sought capital improvement funding from the limited local budget.
By the end of the 1990s water leaking within the building became worse. The tourelle supporting the soldier began cracking away from the main structure and leaking water in between the structure's walls began to cause cracks on the interior walls and powder the cement. The fireplace mantle on the first floor began to crumble. Inspection of the gateway showed continued leaking between the stones. Stones at the gateway pillars had begun to separate. The walkway leading to the monument from Crown Street further deteriorated and began to sink. Most of the work now needed had not been part of any previous renovation plans and was a result of the 100-year old ageing.
In 1999 the Town of Winchester approved funding for a $15,000 extensive engineering study of the Monument buildings, walls, and grounds. The engineering report estimated that in the year 2000 minimal renovations needed for preservation and beautification would require an estimated $300,000 in funding. This recommendation did not include other suggested park restoration including tree removal, development of driving and parking facilities, and lighting and safety alternations that had been recommended by the Commission.
During the past five years the Commission has held two area-wide fund raising campaigns, has been able to secure special grant funding from town projects, and a construction bond for renovation and restoration work. This money, however, is still short by several hundreds of thousands of dollars necessary to bring the facility and park to the full glory it had.
In 2005 the Commission recommended separating the renovation and restoration project into sections and approved a six-year plan that, with adequate funding, is aimed at completing a full restoration project for the buildings, walls, and Memorial Park.