Calvin Pollard, Washington Monument

The Gothic Washington Monument designed by Calvin Pollard. Lithograph of Edward Jones, copyrighted 1844 (entered on March 4). Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

Calvin Pollard (1797-1850) was born in New Braintree, Massachusetts. He moved to New York City in 1818. Among other buildings, he designed the Brooklyn Borough Hall (completed in 1848), the Petersburg Courthouse and the Olympic Theatre on Broadway.

The original Gothic George Washington's monument designed by architect Calvin Pollard was submitted to the Washington Monument Association of the City of New York in 1843. A competition was held to select the best project.

The bronze equestrian statue of Washington at Union Square was the monument that eventually was erected in New York City in 1856.

This (left) was the Calvin Pollard's Washington Monument to be erected in New York City as published in the New-York Daily Tribune of August 17, 1843.

This seems to be an earlier version of the Calvin Pollard's Washington Monument, dated 1843 (Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library, Columbia University). The architecture included a courtyard with a staircase at the base.

Calvin Pollard's Gothic Washington Monument that would be erected at Hamilton Square as published in the New York Herald of October 20, 1847. The cornerstone was laid on October 20 with grand celebration.