Published: December 04, 2008 12:23 am      

Final phases of creation

Bronze plaques installed at base

CUMBERLAND — After a long and grueling process, the George Washington statue will soon be coming to its final resting place with a dedication ceremony Dec. 13 at 10 a.m. in front of the courthouse on Washington Street.

Howard Buchanan, committee chairman of the Fort Cumberland George Washington Memorial Sculpture, said he has been working on this project for 30 years. Now, through donations and fundraising, he will finally see the nearly $80,000 project completed.

“I am elated, excited and enthused to see this finished,” Buchanan said.

The 4-foot base has been placed in front of the Allegany County Circuit Court and Allegheny Mountain sandstone will be shipped in from Grantsville and applied to it this week. The six bronze plaques have also been installed with each plaque depicting an episode of Washington’s life at Fort Cumberland.

“The story of George Washington was an extremely interesting and extremely important story to the people of the United States,” Buchanan said. “It was because of his dream that this country became a nation, and that story should be remembered and retold. That’s the reason for the number of plaques we’re using.”

Boston sculptor Susan Luery is also thrilled to see the project almost completed but still feels nervous as well.

“It’s a little like giving birth,” she said. “We’re at this stage where it all still has to be pulled together. There’s that little nervous excitement of what the bronze is going to look like and what the bronze will look like on the pedestal in the location.”

Luery traveled to Baltimore on Tuesday to help with the final stages of the nearly 8-foot sculpture, staying through the week to await the delivery to Cumberland and returning for the dedication.

In this final week, Luery will look over the metal and bronze statue, making adjustments and putting on final touches before the Patina coating is applied to give the bronze its final color. A protective coat will then be applied atop the Patina.

Although this has been an extended process, Luery said she was delighted to have it all flow smoothly.

“Every stage takes a lot of effort; every stage is physical, there’s a lot of planning, calculating and mathematical equations involved to make it stable and aesthetically the same as what’s in my mind,” she said. “But so many people came forward to help, people with a uniform, a hat or a musket from that time. And varied historians were also enthusiastic to help.”

Despite the hard work reading and studying Washington’s history, this was a very joyful experience for Luery.

“The people that I worked with are wonderful,” Luery said. “It was truly a great experience to work with people who cared so much to put the time and energy to do something like this and who made it a priority. They wanted this for the community and thought it really important for Cumberland to celebrate Washington and the heritage they have for what he did here.”

Tess Hill can be reached at thill@times-news.com.