Providence Foundation receives $3,000 grant to help restore Civil War monument

PROVIDENCE – The Providence Foundation was recently the beneficiary of a $3,000 grant from Bank Rhode Island to support the restoration efforts of the historic Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Kennedy Plaza adjacent to City Hall.

According to a Dec. 9 news release from the Providence-based bank, the Providence Foundation will be working with the Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy on restoring the monument, which was dedicated to the city in 1871. The 40-foot-tall monument, designed by American artist Randolph Rogers, honors the 1,727 infantry, cavalry, artillery and naval veterans who died during the Civil War, the release states.

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Restoration initiatives include refurbishing the statue’s stone and bronze, fabricating new cannonballs to replace missing ones and repairing the in-ground lighting around the statue. In addition, a low fence surrounding the monument will be installed along with nearby tables and chairs for visitors.

“Over the past decade-plus, the Providence Foundation and the Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy have done a great job improving Kennedy Plaza, which is among our city’s most prominent public spaces,” said Bank Rhode Island CEO and President Mark J. Meiklejohn in a statement. “We’re honored to support their work and show our appreciation for the sacrifices of the many veterans remembered by the Soldiers and Sailors Monument.”

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James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor and covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com.