Jacob Leisler Statue to be Rededicated Sept. 26

New Rochelle’s restored Jacob Leisler statue will be rededicated during a ceremony hosted by the 325th Anniversary Committee on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 2:30 p.m.

The event will take place at the island park where the statue stands at the intersection of North and Broadview Avenues. The statue was originally dedicated over one hundred years ago in 1913, when it was first installed at its present location. The restoration of this iconic statue was made possible by the extensive fundraising efforts of the 325th Anniversary Committee, and no taxpayer funds were utilized for the project.

“We are grateful for the generosity of the sponsors and many donors who gave of their resources, time and talents, which allows us to preserve our history for generations to come,” said Committee Chair Marianne Sussman in a statement. “The Anniversary Committee has dedicated these funds to preserving New Rochelle’s historic legacies, the first among them being this valuable historic monument.”

The statue was restored by John Scott, Conservator, whose services have been sought and utilized for international and American museums, universities, preservation architects, and art collectors, dealers and auctioneers.

For a small donation to the Anniversary Committee’s legacy projects fund, copies of the 325th Anniversary Commemorative Book are available at the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall (515 North Avenue) and the New Rochelle Public Library’s Community Relations Office (1 Library Plaza), and 325th Anniversary posters by Charles Fazzino are available at the City Clerk’s Office.

Background:

The Conservation and Preservation of the Statue of Jacob Leisler

The statue of Jacob Leisler was created by one of our country’s leading sculptors, Solon H. Borglum. Cast in bronze from an imagined likeness, the statue was unveiled on June 25, 1913. The event was one of many highlights during New Rochelle’s 225th anniversary celebration. A local chapter of the Daughters of the Revolution (not to be confused with the Daughters of the American Revolution) commissioned the work to immortalize the man who helped a group of Huguenots (French Protestants) find a new home in America after fleeing their native country’s tyranny and religious persecution dealt by the revocation of the Edict of Nantes.

Jacob Leisler

On July 2, 1667, Jacob Leisler completed the deal that enabled the Huguenots to purchase from John and Rachel Pell the 6,100 acres that became New Rochelle. A wealthy merchant with involvement in numerous enterprises, Leisler later assumed the title of Lieutenant Governor of the Province of New York, under King James II. In 1691 he was unlawfully convicted of felony and treason and executed. Four years later, Parliament reversed the conviction, exonerating the deceased friend of the Huguenots. This statue is believed to be the only monumental memorial to Jacob Leisler.

Sculptor Solon Borglum

The statue was created by sculptor, Solon Borglum, (1868 – 1922), a preeminent, nationally recognized sculptor. Well-known for his depictions of the American West, the Leisler statue may be his only work depicting Colonial America. Solon was brother of Gustav Borglum, the sculptor of Mount Rushmore. The Borglums were raised on the Great Plains and although Solon studied in Paris and New York, his works of the American West were his most acclaimed. In 1907 Boglum and his wife and two children settled in Silvermine, Connecticut, (now part of Norwalk.) Their house and Solon’s studio immediately became the hub of an artist colony. After World War I, Borglum founded the School of American Sculpture in New York.

The New Rochelle 325th Anniversary Committee

In 2013, the City of New Rochelle celebrated the 325th anniversary of our founding in 1688. This year-long celebration honored all. from the founding Huguenots seeking religious freedom through the “tides” of immigration over the centuries, whose rich traditions and cultures have contributed to our rise as a dynamic and vital suburban city. The 325th Anniversary Committee, spearheaded by former New Rochelle City Council Member Marianne Sussman, created a year full of special events and activities that were fully funded by community sponsors and donors. Thanks to an effective fund-raising campaign, the year ended with a surplus, which the committee voted to utilize restore and preserve the Jacob Leisler Statue, which has long displayed the adverse effects of Mother Nature and vandals.

Conservator John Scott

John Scott is a conservator of art and architecture and is on the Board of the New York Conservation Foundation. Scott’s firm provides consulting services for art, monument, and architectural conservation projects nationwide. He has completed scientific analysis and conservation methods for all types of installations, large and small scale, outdoors and indoors, with field services mostly in the Central Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. His many successful and innovative projects include those for preservation architects, premium art trade, private collections, and museum/institutional, corporate and municipal collections.

Photo credit: New Rochelle ArtsFest Facebook