May | 2013 | pinnaclescaffold

Pinnacle scaffold is proud to be serving as the scaffolding provider for the renovation of the monument Soldiers & Sailor monument erected in 1871. The memorial that sits in the triangle formed by Delaware Ave., W. 14^th, and N. Broom street is dedicated to Soldiers and Sailors who gave their lives in defense of their country in the Civil War.

The large marble column is from the Pennsylvania Bank Building, Philadelphia that was razed in 1868. The monument itself was threatened by the sheriff after it’s unveiling because a construction debt was outstanding. Eli Crozier, came to the rescue with the necessary funds to save it. A thank you to him is engraved in the stone on the back of the monument.

Pinnacle is starting its tour of duty with this monument and then will continue to all of the other monuments in the city of Wilmington. (More posts to come).
Pinnacle’s scaffolding provides access to 100% of the monument so restoration crews can get to every nook and cranny. Pinnacle also devised an ingenious ladder system that goes up through the center of the scaffold. They hid the ladder in the center so local children wouldn’t climb up and either damage the statue or injure themselves.

Finally, the monument was ensconced in debris netting. We will provide some photographs when the restoration is complete. The marble, eagle and placards should look as good as new once finished.

Here are a couple of postcards from the turn of the century. You can see what the original monument looked like in it’s current place. Things certainly have changed.