Navy-Merchant Marine Memorial
The Navy-Merchant Marine Memorial, located in Lady Bird Johnson Park on Columbia Island, is a statue honoring sailors of the United States Navy and the United States Merchant Marine who died at sea during World War I.
The Navy-Merchant Marine Memorial, located in Lady Bird Johnson Park on Columbia Island, is a statue honoring sailors of the United States Navy and the United States Merchant Marine who died at sea during World War I. It was designed in 1922 by Harvey Wiley Corbett and sculpted by Ernesto Begni del Piatta.
The monument was not erected until 1934 when it was installed with New Deal support as part of a larger Capital Parks improvement program. The first installation was likely done with the help of Civil Works Administration (CWA) relief labor.
Nevertheless, lack of funds meant the statue was put atop a cheap concrete plinth. “In May 1934, the commission overseeing the memorial’s construction asked the Works Progress Administration for a $100,000 grant to complete the granite steps. But no funds were forthcoming. Finally, … the Works Progress Administration allocated $39,000 to finish the memorial in 1939. This included adding the wavy green granite steps, creating a concrete plaza around the memorial, installing two flagstone walks to lead to the memorial, and landscaping the area.” (wikipedia)
A National Archives index to WPA projects further describes WPA work at the memorial circa 1940: “Complete Navy-Marine Memorial on Columbia Island. Work includes constructing walks, steps, platforms, pavement trails, and parking areas; clearing; filling; grading; planting topsoil; planting trees and shrubs; demolishing foundation and performing incidental and appurtenant work.”
The WPA work for the memorial was completed in 1941.
