Monuments and Markers

MONUMENTS AND MARKERS

Monuments, Markers, Plaques and Statues

Over the years, the Early Settlers Association was responsible for the creation and placement of fitting tributes to people and events pertaining to the Western Reserve as part of its mission. Some of the more prominent ones are described below.

		Oliver Hazard Perry Monument - Ft. Huntington Park Cleveland's first statue - Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry (War of 1812 Naval Hero in the Battle of Lake Erie) was cast in bronze through the efforts of ESA in 1929 to replace the original marble (1860). First placed in the middle of Public Square, the original was moved several times residing now in the National Park Visitor Center at Put-in-Bay. The bronze replacement was placed at Gordon Park overlooking Lake Erie. The two midshipmen were added with the medallion. Finally the monument was moved to Ft. Huntington Park, once again downtown.
		Moses Cleaveland Statue - Public Square The first major project of ESA was to raise money to have a cast bronze statue of Gen. Moses Cleaveland who led the first expedition to establish the capital city of the Western Reserve. The statue was dedicated July 23, 1888 in the Southwest Quadrant of Public Square.
		George Washington - Celebreze Federal Building Plaza This gift to the City and Federal Government in 1973 by ESA is the imposing bronze statue of George Washington during his earlier years when he explored the Ohio country.
		Spirit of '76 Painting - Cleveland City Hall Rotunda One of the original paintings by Archibald Willard, painted in Cleveland in 1912, was restored in 1987 through contributions from ESA.
		Four Corner Markers - NE-Conneaut, SE - Poland, SW - Willard, NW -Catawba St. Park During the 1960's the ESA commissioned the creation of stone markers with a plaque on each to mark the four corners of the Western Reserve - encompassing nearly three million acres of land. Each was dedicated near to the locations indicated above.
		Harvey Rice Statue - Cleveland Art Museum This Statue remembers the "Father of Ohio Public Schools" and ESA Past-President. The bronze statue was dedicated July 22, 1899. In 1999 ESA made a financial commitment toward its restoration.
		Bicentennial Buckeye Tree - Lake View Cemetery Along with the Sons of the American Revolution, ESA planted a Red Buckeye tree (Ohio's official tree) near the Pres. James A. Garfield Tomb to mark Ohio's Bicentennial in 2003.
		Battle of Lake Erie Marker - Ft. Huntington Park This polished black granite marker with a detailed scene of the Battle of Lake Erie was commissioned by ESA and dedicated on September 10, 2002 on the date of the event. It details the battle, which decided America's northern boundary at the conclusion of the War of 1812.
		Ohio Bicentennial Markers - ESA sponsored three bronze plaques to mark Ohio statehood in 1803. Dedicated in 2003, the Solders' & Sailors' Monument Plaque is located on Public Square. The Moses Cleaveland/Capital Town and John D. Rockerfeller/Standard Oil Plaques are both located on the east bank of the Flats.
		Pearl Harbor Memorial Marker - East 9th Street at Naval Reserve Dedicated on Sunday December 7, 2003, ESA placed this Pearl Harbor Marker to honor the over 2,300 lives lost on that day in 1941.
		Lorenzo and Rebecca Carter Marker - Erie Street Cemetery In 2005, ESA commissioned and dedicated on July 22 that year, a granite marker to replace the original bronze plaque that was vandalized at the gravesite of Cleveland's first permanent residents. There is also another marker placed to recognize the other early settlers who were buried in that cemetery.