The E. M. Viquesney "Spirit of the American Doughboy" Database
 Variant sailor, west end bridge.  Variant Doughboy, east end bridge. |  Doughboy, west end bridge.  Doughboy, east end bridge. |
PALATKA, FLORIDA
N 29° 38.667 / W 081° 36.934 (East end)
N 29° 38.827 / W 081° 37.685 (West end)
Copyright version 1920, pressed copper.
Smithsonian Art Inventory Control Numbers: 47260011, FL000478, FL000479, 47260137.
N 29° 38.827 / W 081° 37.685 (West end)
Copyright version 1920, pressed copper.
Smithsonian Art Inventory Control Numbers: 47260011, FL000478, FL000479, 47260137.
West end statues are at N. 1st Street and Reid Street (Hwy. 17).
No plaques or inscriptions except a partially visible title on one of the Doughboys.
The four sculptures shown above were dedicated November 11, 1927 at the two ends of Memorial Park Bridge over the St. Johns River near downtown Palatka, and later placed in the same relative positions when the New Memorial Bridge was completed in 1976. There are no plaques, inscriptions, or engravings.
The top two photos are at the bridge's town (West) end and the bottom two are at the county (East) end. The photos on the left are on the South side of the bridge and those at the right are on the North side.
The upper right Doughboy's rifle has been replaced by a pistol in the left hand, apparently after the rifle was broken off by vandals swinging from it (a fairly common experience). The lower right Doughboy's rifle has been replaced by three sticks of dynamite in the left hand.
The upper right Doughboy's rifle has been replaced by a pistol in the left hand, apparently after the rifle was broken off by vandals swinging from it (a fairly common experience). The lower right Doughboy's rifle has been replaced by three sticks of dynamite in the left hand.
The top two photos are at the bridge's town (West) end and the bottom two are at the county (East) end. The photos on the left are on the South side of the bridge and those at the right are on the North side.
The upper right Doughboy's rifle has been replaced by a pistol in the left hand, apparently after the rifle was broken off by vandals swinging from it (a fairly common experience). The lower right Doughboy's rifle has been replaced by three sticks of dynamite in the left hand.
The upper right Doughboy's rifle has been replaced by a pistol in the left hand, apparently after the rifle was broken off by vandals swinging from it (a fairly common experience). The lower right Doughboy's rifle has been replaced by three sticks of dynamite in the left hand.
Palatka's Variant Doughboy
Johnstown, PA statue
(identical to Palatka's).
(identical to Palatka's).
The lower left photo in the group of four above is of a Doughboy that differs from all other Viquesney Doughboys that have been located (except Lakemore, Ohio). It’s referred to in Palatka as the "Parade Rest" Doughboy, even though its stance is more like what the U. S. Army described as the "sling arms" position. Information about the sculptures in Palatka is limited. It's been suggested that Gutzon Borglum sculpted the figure, but that's just speculation. It's quite possible that Viquesney sculpted this Doughboy in a variant position, since he also sculpted the other two Palatka Doughboys and the Palatka "Spirit of the American Navy" sculpture that is also in a position that varies from his other "Navy" sculptures (below).
Bill and Kathie Plack of Herminie, Pennsylvania have been instrumental in determining that there is an identical Doughboy statue in front of the Franklin Borough Offices at Johnstown, Pennsylvania (shown at left), but attempts to learn the identity of the sculptor have not been successful there, either.
Bill and Kathie Plack of Herminie, Pennsylvania have been instrumental in determining that there is an identical Doughboy statue in front of the Franklin Borough Offices at Johnstown, Pennsylvania (shown at left), but attempts to learn the identity of the sculptor have not been successful there, either.
Palatka's Variant "Spirit of the American Navy" ("The Sailor")
1926 catalog illustration.
Viquesney's "The Spirit of the American Navy" sculpture in the illustration at right shows the differences between this Navy sculpture and his other "Navy" sculptures. In the others, the sailor appears to be standing by a rope-enwrapped stanchion on a dock while he waves his small round cap at some offshore object. His position below the waist at Palatka appears to be the same as in the others, but he's wearing his cap, appears to be standing on the deck of a ship, and is holding a large naval ammunition shell in front of his waist.
There is an uncorroborated entry at Wikipedia claiming that Palatka's "Navy" statue was sculpted by a different artist, Ray Fernandez, but no record of him seems to exist. In fact, this version of the statue appears on page 246 of Friedley-Voshardt foundry catalog #50, published in 1926, along with an illustration of "The Spirit of the American Doughboy" on the facing page. It's thus unlikely anybody else but Viquesney sculpted the version of "The Spirit of the American Navy" that occurs at Palatka.
There is an uncorroborated entry at Wikipedia claiming that Palatka's "Navy" statue was sculpted by a different artist, Ray Fernandez, but no record of him seems to exist. In fact, this version of the statue appears on page 246 of Friedley-Voshardt foundry catalog #50, published in 1926, along with an illustration of "The Spirit of the American Doughboy" on the facing page. It's thus unlikely anybody else but Viquesney sculpted the version of "The Spirit of the American Navy" that occurs at Palatka.
Photo provided by Mary Murphy, Putnam County Archivist.
Five young ladies at the Palatka end of the Memorial Bridge during the November 11, 1927 joint dedication of the bridge, the park, and the Plataka Doughboys and Sailor. The object on the hood of the auto is a model of the bridge.
Links:
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM5PGT
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=03fc28c8-5d25-4f37-8dd2-3b999180e678
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM5PGT
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=03fc28c8-5d25-4f37-8dd2-3b999180e678
