Soldiers’ Memorial Building – St Louis MO

City:
St. Louis, MO

Site Type:
Civic Facilities, Art Works, Military and Public Safety, Monuments and Memorials, Sculpture and Bas Relief

New Deal Agencies:
Public Works Funding, Public Works Administration (PWA)

Artist:
Walker Hancock

Site Survival:
Extant

Description

“This building was erected as a memorial to soldiers who lost their lives in the World War. In the center hall on the first floor is a black granite cenotaph bearing the names of the soldiers. On each side is a museum containing World War relics, records, and other data. Surrounding the structure are 38 square columns, 5 by 5 feet, and 35 feet high.

The building is one unit of a well-planned civic center, the construction being of steel and reinforced concrete. The walls are faced with limestone. Marble and granite were used extensively. It is 190 by 89 feet, and 67 feet high.

It was completed in July 1939 at a construction cost of $715,684 and a total project cost of $760,973.”      (Short and Brown)

4 large equestrian statues by Walker Hancock surround the monument, symbolizing: Courage, Vision, Loyalty, and Sacrifice. The statues were funded by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts and flank the entrance to the atrium on the north and south of the building. Hancock taught at the Washington University Dept of Sculpture for many years and executed numerous works all over the country.

Source notes

C.W. Short and R. Stanley-Brown. "Public Buildings: A Survey of Architecture of Projects Constructed by Federal and Other Governmental Bodies Between the Years 1933 and 1939 with the Assistance of the Public Works Administration." (1939).

Site originally submitted by Charles Swaney on December 15, 2011.

Location Info


1315 Chestnut St.
St Louis, MO 63103

Coordinates: 38.628602, -90.20008

Site Details

Total Cost
$760,973.00

Contribute to this Site

We welcome contributions of additional information on any New Deal site.

Submit More Information or Photographs for this New Deal Site

Join the Conversation

Please note:

  • We are not involved in the management of New Deal sites and have no information about visits, hours or rentals.
  • This page shows all the information we have for this site; if you have new information or photos to share, click the button above.

Your email address will not be published, shared, or sold.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Contribute to this Site

We welcome contributions of additional information on any New Deal project site.

Submit More Information or Photographs for this New Deal Site

Join the Conversation

Please note:

  • We are not involved in the management of New Deal sites and have no information about visits, hours or rentals.
  • This page shows all the information we have for this site; if you have new information or photos to share, click the button above.

Your email address will not be published, shared, or sold.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.