The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-04-20
FIRST COLUMBUS MEMORIAL
Erected in Baltimore in 1892 by Gen.
eraI d'Armour-Brick and Ce-
ment Tower Still Standing.

In view of the fact that national
monument to Columbus is to be un-
yelled in Washington, D. c., on Satur-
day, the eighth day of June, it is not
uninteresting to learn that the first
monument in his honor was erected to
commemorate the tri-centennial of his
discovery by General d'Armour, the
first French consul to the colonies.
The following account of it is given
by j. M. Berger in the 'Columbiad.
For many years foreigners visiting
our country narveled at the absence
of a monument to the memory of
Christopher Columbus, the great dis
coverer However, there has been
standing in Baltimore for over GEN.
tury, the first monument erected on
this continent in honor of the great
discoverer, and although there is quite
an interesting history connected with
it, it was not generally known to Bal
timoreans until 1880, when Boundry
avenue, now North avenue, was cut
through the property on which it
stands.
After the Revolutionary war sew
eral of Gen. Lafayette's officers settled
in Baltimore town, and among them
Charles Francis Adrian de Paulmier,
Chevalier d'Armour, the first French
counsel to the colonies. He said to
have been a gentlemen of excellent
manners and great wealth.
The old records of the town show
that in 1888 Gen. d'Armour bought a
tract of land about mile northeast
of the town limits, which remained in
his possession until 1896, about the
time he was recalled to France. On
this lano he built house of brick,
which is still standing in good preser-
vation, and in which he received many
of his countrymen in princely style.
One evening in the year 1892, while
entertaining some foreigners in his
usual hospitable manner, one of his
guests reminded him that it was then
the tricentennial of the discovery of
America, and that there was no monu-
ment in this new land to the memory
of him who had discovered it. The
General at once gave orders for the
erection of suitable memorial on his
own estate. The monument was erect
ed In a grove of ash and cedar trees
few hundred feet from his dwelling,
but at that time a considerable dis
tance from the town. He had it built
of English brick, cemented on the
outside, a well proportioned and grace
full monument thirty-one feet and eight
inches high, which rests on a base
that makes the total height forty-four
feet, six inches.
On the west side of the base is a
marble tablet bearing the following in
scription: Sacred to the Memory of
Christopher Columbus, October XII,
MDCCVIIIC' (1792). The usage which
places the numerals VIII before the
final c, indicating that they are to be
subtracted from the one hundred, is a
quite ancient one.
The property on which the monu-
ment stands now belongs to the Sam
uel Ready School, and the trustees
have taken much care to give it promi-
nence. The grounds around are laid
off in imposing terraces which add
much to its height and appearance.
The cornerstone of this monument
was laid on August 8, 1892, being the
anniversary of the departure of Chris
topher Columbus from Spain for the
voyage on which he discovered this
world. The monument was dedicated
on October 18th, the anniversary of the
day on which he for the first time saw
the land he was in quest of, the same
day closing the third century and the
secular year of that important epoch
in the annals of this country