Statue of Benjamin Franklin (San Francisco)

{{Short description|Statue of Benjamin Franklin in Washington Square, San Francisco, California, U.S.}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox artwork

| title = Benjamin Franklin

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| image = Benfranklinstatue.jpg

| image_size = 250px

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| caption = The statue in 2007

| artist = Unknown

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| type = Sculpture

| material = Sculpture: Bronze
Base: Granite

| subject = Benjamin Franklin

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| metric_unit = m

| imperial_unit = ft

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| city = San Francisco, California, United States

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| coordinates = {{coord|37.80082|-122.41000|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

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| mapframe-zoom = 13

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Benjamin Franklin – also known as the Benjamin Franklin Memorial, Benjamin Franklin Statue and Cogswell Historical Monument{{Cite web|url=http://siris-artinventories.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=14A6292N5V132.3211&profile=ariall&source=~!siartinventories&view=subscriptionsummary&uri=full=3100001~!14477~!0&ri=1&aspect=Keyword&menu=search&ipp=20&spp=20&staffonly=&term=CA000016+OR+CA000029&index=.NW&uindex=&aspect=Keyword&menu=search&ri=1|title=Benjamin Franklin, (sculpture).|publisher=Smithsonian Institution|access-date=February 23, 2016}} Note: Control Number: IAS CA000016. – is an outdoor sculpture in Washington Square, San Francisco, California.{{Cite web|url=http://siris-artinventories.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=14A6292N5V132.3211&profile=ariall&source=~!siartinventories&view=subscriptionsummary&uri=full=3100001~!308796~!1&ri=1&aspect=Keyword&menu=search&ipp=20&spp=20&staffonly=&term=CA000016+OR+CA000029&index=.NW&uindex=&aspect=Keyword&menu=search&ri=1|title=Benjamin Franklin, (sculpture).|publisher=Smithsonian Institution|access-date=February 23, 2016}} Note: Control Number: IAS CA000029.

Description

{{Unreferenced section|date=April 2016}}

The smaller-than-life-size bronze statue of American Founding Father Benjamin Franklin, by an unknown sculptor, stands upon an ornate granite base, that contains a time capsule. There are inscriptions on all four sides of the base. Spigots once dispensed drinking water into three stone basins. The spigots have been removed.

History

Created as a Temperance fountain by crusader Henry D. Cogswell, the monument was originally installed at Kearny and Market Streets in 1879. In 1904, it was relocated to Washington Square.{{cite book|last1=Myrick|first1=David F.|title=San Francisco's Telegraph Hill|date=1972|publisher=Howell-North Books|page=139|isbn=9780831070939|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PiwSAQAAIAAJ&q=%22present+location%22|access-date=17 January 2017}}

In 1979, 100 years after its creation, a time capsule that was hidden in the statue's base was removed and opened, and contained Cogswell's personal papers. A new time capsule, to be opened in 2079, was installed.[http://usingsfhistory.com/2009/07/18/time-capsules-in-san-francisco/ Time capsules in San Francisco], from Using San Francisco History.

See also

References

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