If you visit the three-way intersection of Diversey Parkway and Cannon and Stockton drives, you won’t be able to miss the shining, gilded statue of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton.  If you’ve caught the Hamilton hype that’s exploded over the last two and a half years with the debut of the musical, you might question what Alexander Hamilton has to do with the history of Chicago.  Why does this statue take such pride of place adjacent to one of our most frequented intersections?  The answer lies with a woman named Kate Sturges Buckingham.

Kate’s last name might be familiar to you because she is one of those Buckinghams – the same ones who donated the Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain (or as we commonly call it, Buckingham Fountain) that resides in Grant Park.  Kate shared the sentiment of Hamilton musical writer Lin-Manuel Miranda in believing that Alexander Hamilton was one of “one of the least appreciated great Americans.” The statue was first conceived by Kate in the 1920s, but its design did not begin until the mid-30s.

English artist John Angel was commissioned to create the statue, and an 80 foot tall columned structure was set to house the piece.  Unfortunately, disagreements about the aspects of the statue would arise, and Kate’s death occurred before it could be placed.  In 1952, a base for the statue was ordered to be created.  The 78 foot tall structure would remain in Lincoln Park until 1993 when it was discovered that it was decaying.  The original base demolished, the statue was reinstalled on top of a smaller base and turned to face south to face better light. Unfortunately, most people driving by would now see Hamilton from behind.

Because of the arrival of the Hamilton musical to Chicago, the gilded finish on the statue was restored.  After its almost two years of absence, the statue was returned to its original 1952 orientation, facing north.  This (amusedly) angered some residents, but it makes sense to reorient the statue to its original state.

Apparently, there is also another Hamilton statue – one that is currently in storage and may not see the light of day for some time.  Dedicated by descendants of Hamilton in 1918 at the north end of Grant Park, it has writings of Hamilton’s etched on walls that surround it.  Moved into storage for the construction of Millennium Park in the early 90s, the Park District does have plans to reinstall it in a new location somewhere in Grant Park.  What’s the hold up?  Because of funding issues, no one knows for sure when this will take place.

                                                                      (Hamilton statue in Grant Park, courtesy of the OAC)

 

For now, the Hamilton statue in Lincoln Park is a great reminder of the “Ten dollar Founding Father without a father” who has now been brought back into the public light with no hints that he will be forgotten again anytime soon.