Littleton
Littleton, New Hampshire Soldiers' Monument
This statue was dedicated in Littleton, New Hampshire on May 30, 1911. At that time, the spot where it sat was known as the “Square” and was located at the intersection of Main, Union and Cottage Streets. According to the curator of the Littleton Museum, this picture was taken “around 1915, give or take a couple of years.”
Well north of York, when the first snow comes each fall it is usually the last snow to melt in the spring. Over the years heavy trucks rumbling past had taken their toll on the base of the monument. So, in 1957 it was moved from this spot to a safer location at the entrance of the West Main Street Cemetery where it sits today. The lower base was so damaged it was put down into the ground and made part of the statue’s foundation. Today, ground level is at the top of the lower base.
All of the transcribers have visited Littleton at one time or another to see this monument. It is known locally by the same name as ours. Citizens from that community came to York to look at and measure our monument before ordering essentially the same monument from the same maker. The die (center dark section) of the Littleton monument has a different inscription carved into each of the four faces. The York monument has an inscription carved in only one face. The York monument has the dates “1861” and “1865” separated by a star carved in bas-relief on the front of the center (second) base. The Littleton statue does not have this feature. They appear identical in all other ways. Not immune to made-up stories, the Littleton monument has had its share. Some of the older residents tell of a well-known rumor that the statue is a Confederate Soldier and there is a “C” on his belt buckle (CSA) instead of the “USA” that is really carved there.
Both Littleton Soldiers’ Monument pictures and information in this chapter are compliments of Richard Alberini, curator of the Littleton Historical Museum in Littleton, New Hampshire.
Inquiries may be made directly to the museum at (603) 444-6435.
Littleton New Hampshire Monument Inscription
Starting with the front and circling anti clockwise
THIS MONUMENT THE GIFT OF
GEORGE HENRY TILTON
TO THE TOWN OF LITTLETON
WAS ACCEPTED AND DEDICATED IN THE YEAR OF
1911
IN COMMEMORATION
OF THE SERVICE OF THE SOLDIERS AND SAILORS
OF THE TOWN OF LITTLETON
IN THE WARS OF THE REPUBLIC
IN PERPETUATION
OF THE
SPIRIT OF THE FATHERS
IN HONOR
OF THE
CITIZEN SOLDIER
Littleton, New Hampshire Soldiers' Monument Dedication
As reported in a local newspaper, on the far right the Lisbon Military band is playing “America” while the silk flag veil is in the process of dropping away from the statue. Most of the ladies are in white with their spring hats and the gentlemen in their darker suits with derby or straw hats. The Spanish War Veterans and Sons of Veterans from the Marshall Sanders Post were well represented. They are standing beside or sitting in the right bandstand and sport campaign hats like the sculptured granite soldier wears. Surviving members of the Grand Army of the Republic were also in attendance. The newspaper article also reports: “It is conservatively estimated that 4000 people saw the statue unveiled.”
Both Littleton Soldiers’ Monument pictures and information in this chapter are compliments of Richard Alberini, curator of the Littleton Historical Museum in Littleton, New Hampshire. Inquiries may be made directly to the museum at (603)444-6435.
Sadly, no such photographs or newspaper articles of the dedication ceremonies for the York Soldiers’ Monument have surfaced as of this printing. Considering that the keynote speaker was Maine’s own Civil War Hero, Major General Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, we can hope that it was as grand an affair as the one we see here just a few years later in Littleton, NH.
Anyone finding any photographs, newspaper articles, diary entries or any other type of information on the dedication of the Soldiers’ Monument or any other war monument in York should feel free to contact Michael A. Dow at (207) 363-7924. New information will be most welcome.
Both Littleton Soldiers’ Monument pictures and information in this chapter are compliments of Richard Alberini, curator of the Littleton Historical Museum in Littleton, New Hampshire. Inquiries may be made directly to the museum at (603)444-6435.