Statue of Historic Figure: Alexander Hamilton - Boston, MA

Alexander Hamilton

by

William Rimmer

GPS: N 42° 21.208 W 071° 04.345

Short Description: 

The statue of Alexander Hamilton is located along Commonwealth Avenue Mall near Arlington Street in the Back Bay section of Boston.

Long Description:

A 10' by 3.33' square granite figure of Founding Father of the United States, Alexander Hamilton, stands on an 8.5' by 5.33' square granite base. Alexander Hamilton is depicted wearing classical robes over a ruffled shirt, long stockings and buckle shoes. he is standing with his right arm against his side and his left arm raised to the middle of his chest. The monument was sculpted by William Rimmer between 1864 and 1865.

The granite base has a relief sculpture of George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay aligned next to and partially over each other. Below is the inscription:

THE GIFT OF THOMAS LEE.

The north side of the base is inscribed has his biography:

ORATOR, WRITER, SOLDIER, JURIST,

FINANCIER.

ALTHOUGH HIS PARTICULAR

PROVINCE WAS TREASURY,

HIS GENIUS PERVADED THE WHOLE

ADMINISTRATION OF WASHINGTON 

The south side of the base is inscribed: 

ALEXANDER HAMILTON.

BORN IN THE ISLAND OF

NEVIS, WEST INDIES

11 JANUARY 1757,

DIED IN NEW YORK 12 JULY 1804

The back is inscribed:

THIS STATUE ERECTED BY

THOMAS LEE

A CITIZEN OF BOSTON

Alexander Hamilton was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. At the start of the Revolutionary War he organized an artillery company and served as its captain. He went on to become the senior aide-de-camp to General George Washington. After the formation of the nation, he was instrumental is suppressing the Whiskey Rebellion in western Pennsylvania in 1794. In 1798, Hamilton was appointment as commander of a new army to prepare for a possible conflict against France following the XYZ Affair. An undeclared naval war ensued that was quickly negotiated to an end of the conflict.

Hamilton was a founder of the Federalist Party that supported a strong Constitution and a centralized federal government. He served as Secretary of the Treasury and devised the economic policies of the Washington administration. His familiar image appears on the U.S. $10 bill.