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The Culbertson
Fountain
Photo courtesy Lori
Martin, 2005 |
Culbertson
Fountain
In the Center of
the Square
A gift to the city by Paris businessman/ philanthropist
J. J. Culbertson, this Italian marble fountain was meant to commemorate
the city’s rebirth after the 1916 fire that destroyed most of the
city. Designed by St. Louis architect J. L. Wees, it is said that
it was inspired by fountains the Culbertson family had seen while
in Italy. The fountain took three years to assemble (1924-1927). |
World
War I Memorial
231 Lamar Avenue
Honoring the Lamar County men who died in “the war to end all wars,”
this unique design is a somber memorial compared to the more common
“Doughboy” statues seen around the United States. The extinguished
torch symbolic of young lives cut short. Also designed by architect
J. L. Wees, who did the beautiful Gothic R. F. Scott building on the
square and the Scott Mansion (said to be the only Art Nouveau mansion
in the United States). Funding for the memorial was also by J. J.
Culbertson.
See World War I |
Confederate
Monument
On the Lamar
County Courthouse Grounds
Second in size only to the Confederate Monument on the grounds of
the Texas
Capitol, this monument was the first commissioned work of Italian-American
sculptor Pompeo
Coppini.
The familiar figure of the generic Confederate soldier stands above
the busts of four champions of “The Lost Cause.” Jefferson Davis,
Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson and Texas’ own Albert Sidney Johnston. |
George W. Wright,
Founder of Paris, Texas
Although this article
is entitled three historic memorials; we are including the bust of
Paris' founder, a modern work of a historical
figure. |
Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and vintage or recent photos, please contact
us. |
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