Bushnell Park Foundation to Restore
Two Historic Statues
The Bushnell Park Foundation has received funding to repair and restore two historic statues in the park – Spirit of Victory, the Spanish American War Memorial, and the Horace Wells statue. ConservArt LLC has been awarded contracts for the repair and restoration of both statues and Independent Stone will be applying custom engraving to the pedestal of the Wells statue. Work is set to begin in August.
The Edward C. and Ann T. Roberts Foundation awarded the Bushnell Park Foundation $15,000 for restoration of Spirit of Victory. Additional funding was provided by the city of Hartford. The Horace Wells Trust Fund and the James McManus Fund of the Hartford Dental Society awarded a combined total of $11,000 for work on the Horace Wells statue.
Dedicated in 1927, Spirit of Victory, which honors the Hartford men who fought in the Spanish-American War was created by noted sculptor Evelyn Beatrice Longman Batchelder. Batchelder was the first woman sculptor to be elected a full member of the National Academy of Design. Among her other works, she sculpted The Genius of Telegraphy which stands atop the AT&T building in New York. She also created some of the sculptural decorations for the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
“The Roberts Foundation is pleased to support the Bushnell Park Foundation’s efforts to preserve its significant collection of art works and monuments,” states Lisa Curran, Executive Director of the Roberts Foundation. “We are especially delighted to support the revitalization of this work by Evelyn Longman Batchelder, the only piece in Bushnell Park created by a female artist.”
“Parks play an important role in improving the health and vitality of urban areas,” said Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra. “As a member of the Mayors for Parks coalition, I am happy to support the Foundation’s mission to maintain and preserve this treasure in the heart of our city.”
The Horace Wells statue, which was created by Truman Howe Bartlett in 1875, honors Dr. Horace Wells who is credited with discovering anesthesia banishing surgical pain and revolutionized surgery. This statue is the city’s oldest piece of public art still on its original site.
“The mission of the Bushnell Park Foundation is to preserve and protect the park and its cultural assets,” said Lisa Karam, president of the Bushnell Park Foundation. “We are very grateful to the Roberts Foundation, Horace Wells Trust Fund and the McManus Fund, and our partners in the city of Hartford for their support of our efforts.”