Removed In 2020, Columbus Statue Replacement Honors Italian Immigrants

NEW HAVEN, CT —At Wooster Square Tuesday, the completion of the approval process for replacing the old Christopher Columbus statue with a new statue representing the Italian-American immigrant experience was celebrated.

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker, Wooster Square Monument Committee Wooster Square Monument Committee Co-Chair Bill Iovanne, artist Marc Anthony Massaro, and other city, civic, and elected leaders made the announcement. And shared that a fundraising campaign to commission the sculpting of the new monument, along with additional community engagement initiatives, was launched.

Monday, the New Haven Board of Alders voted to accept the city receiving the newly designed monument, Indicando la via al futuro, “Pointing the way to the future," as a gift from the Wooster Square Monument Committee. The committee was created and charged by Elicker in June 2020 to "lead the effort in identifying a new monument that appropriately honors the contributions of Italian Americans in New Haven while also respecting the history and diversity of all residents."

The Christopher Columbus statue was removed from Wooster Square in June 2020. Read that story, and watch the video, here.

About the Wooster Square Monument Committee

The WSMC convened numerous public meetings with broad representation from residents in the area and the general public, and the design for the new monument has now received all necessary approvals from the Historic District Commission (July 13, 2022), the Cultural Affairs Commission (September 6, 2022), the Parks Commission (October 19, 2022), and the Board of Alders (November 21, 2022). A rendering of the new monument can be found here.

The WSMC will also announce the Wooster Square Monument Project, a new fundraising campaign to raise the estimated $300,000 needed to commission the sculpture and to underwrite the total cost of the monument and will also share new community engagement initiatives related to the project.

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro has agreed to serve as honorary chair of the fundraising committee. The WSMC estimates it will take approximately 18 months for the funds to be raised and for the monument to then be sculpted and installed. More information about the project can be found and donations can be made at: www.woostersquaremonument.com.