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Thousands of onlookers gathered on May 15, 1902, on Monument Circle for the dedication of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. In this photo, Hoosier poet James Whitcomb Riley reads a poem. Author Lew Wallace, also a Hoosier, was master of ceremonies. The monument was constructed between 1887 and 1902. Bruno Schmitz of Berlin, Germany, was the architect on the project. Several artists worked on the art works incorporated into the monument, including George Brewster, who created the 38-foot-tall figure of Victory that caps it. Design and construction cost nearly $600,000. Today, a similar structure would cost more than $500 million, according to the Indiana War Memorials Foundation.
Sources: Indiana Historical Society, Indiana War Memorials Foundation
Credit: This photo is courtesy of the Indiana Historical Society. More images available at images.indianahistory.org.
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