Texas Heroes Monument
National Register of Historic Places

Texas Heroes Monument

Galveston, Galveston County, Texas
Listed
August 13, 1984
Type
Object
Period
Colonial
Ref No.
84001737

About this property

The Texas Heroes Monument is located in Galveston, Texas, and was commissioned by Henry Rosenberg to commemorate the brave people who fought during the Texas Revolution. The monument was built by New England Granite Works using Concord, New Hampshire, granite and bronze. The total cost was $50,000, and it was shipped before June 4, 1899. The sculptor of the monument was Louis Amateis. It is located at the intersection of Broadway and Rosenberg Avenue. It was unveiled on April 22, 1900. Henry Rosenberg, a well-known banker, bequeathed nearly a quarter of a million dollars to public enterprises, and among other items his will set aside $50,000 for the erection of a monument to commemorate the deeds of the heroes who participated in the struggle for Texas's independence. Rosenberg, Texas, is named after Henry Rosenberg, and he spent much of his money on other building projects like the Galveston Orphans Home and the Rosenberg Library. Amateis, who was a professor in Rome at the time, was required to submit his work on the statue groups, bas reliefs and other bronze works to the College of Sculptors at Rome for approval. The monument is made mostly of light gray granite with a bronze statue and bronze reliefs. It is 74 feet (23 m) high including the statue of Victory. The base of the monument is 34 feet (10 m) in diameter. The bulk of the monument consists of four columns made from a single block of granite. These are 50 feet (15 m) high. At the top of the columns are words which represent the qualities of the men who fought for Texas: Patriotism, Honor, Devotion, Courage. The statue of Victory is 22 feet (6.7 m) high. She holds a sheathed sword entwined with roses, and her right extended hand holds a crown of laurels. This column faces north to overlook the entrance to Galveston and, at the time, the entrance to the state of Texas. At the base of the column is a bronze relief of Sam Houston flanked by representations of peace and war. Underneath Houston are the reliefs of five men: Henry Smith, Edward Burleson, Benjamin Milam, James Fannin and James Bonham. Below the column on the monument is a bas relief of the Battle of San Jacinto. And finally, below this, reads "A Tribute from Henry Rosenberg to the Heroes of the Texas Revolution of 1836." This column faces east and contains the statue of a female unsheathing a sword and ordering the Mexicans out of Texas. She is known as Defiance, and underneath here is the date October 2, 1835, the day of the Goliad Massacre which is referenced by the bas relief of the massacre on the base of the monument. Facing west, this column houses a bronze female figure who represents Peace. At her feet are the names of heroes who did not have photos that could be authenticated: Neill, Hockley, Karnes and de Zavalla. Below her is the date April 21, 1836, the Battle of San Jacinto. A bas relief underneath the date commemorates Santa Anna's surrender to Sam Houston after the Battle of San Jacinto.

Location

25th and Broadway
Galveston, Galveston County, Texas
29.29950, -94.79432

Categories

ART
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Texas Heroes Monument

This page lists Texas Heroes Monument. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Texas Heroes Monument report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Sealy, George, House
Industrial
0 mi
Ashton Villa
Early Republic
0.1 mi
City Hall
Industrial
0.1 mi
Congregation Beth Jacob
Industrial
0.1 mi
Willis-Moody Mansion
Civil War
0.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Texas Heroes Monument listed on the National Register?

Texas Heroes Monument was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 13, 1984.

What type of historic resource is Texas Heroes Monument?

Texas Heroes Monument is classified as a object in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Texas Heroes Monument?

The period of significance for Texas Heroes Monument is recorded as the colonial era.

Can I research the history near Texas Heroes Monument?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Texas Heroes Monument will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Galveston County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Galveston County.

Explore GalvestonCounty ›

More historic places in Texas

Browse all historic places in Texas.

View Texashistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Texas history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Texashistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Texas Heroes Monument will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report