Completing the second of three projects inspired by their 50th Anniversary Capital Campaign begun in 2020, the Friends of the Public Garden joined representatives from the Boston Parks Department on Thursday, Jan. 11, for the lighting of the Alexander Hamilton and Col. John Glover statues on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall. The Child Fountain Restoration Project, currently underway in the Public Garden, is the final project of this effort.
The granite statue of Hamilton (1757 – 1804) was the gift of Thomas Lee and was sculpted by physician William Rimmer. Hamilton was a Revolutionary War solider, a signer of the Constitution, and the first secretary of the treasury, serving under Washington. He was killed in a famous duel with Aaron Burr in 1804.
The bronze statue of Col. Glover (1732 – 1797), crafted by Martin Milmore, honors his critical role in the Revolutionary War. As a leader of the diverse 14th Continental Regiment, he saved George Washington’s army thrice, notably evacuating 9,000 men after the Battle of Brooklyn and orchestrating a daring crossing of the icy Delaware River. Glover’s statue commemorates his unwavering leadership and strategic genius that significantly boosted the morale and success of the Continental Army.