Benjamin C. Grenup Monument
Encyclopedia
Benjamin C. Grenup Monument is a public artwork by America
n artist Charles Rousseau, located at Glenwood Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
, United States
. "Benjamin C. Grenup Monument" serves as the final resting place for firefighter Benjamin Grenup.
is on top of a square base with three reliefs on it. The south side of the base has a relief of Benjamin Grenup at the time of his death. The relief shows Grenup being run over by a fire water wagon and his fellow firefighters reacting to the accidental death—one has his arms in the air while the other firefighters stop the wagon. The west side of the base has a relief of a fire hose
and two nozzle
s. The east side has a relief of a fire axe, torch
and spanner wrench tied together with a rope. Egg-and-dart
motif along with garland and ribbons decorate the sculpture. The sculpture sits on a triangle plot surrounded by a fence. Fire hydrants sit at each of the three corners of the base.
The sculpture is signed on the base, south side: CH. ROUSSEAU. Sculptor.
The west side of the base is inscribed:
The north side of the base is inscribed:
BENJAMIN C. GRENUP
The fence gate has signage reading:
. He may have received his education at the Royal Academies for Science and the Arts of Belgium
. Very little documentation exists of his background.
killed in action in Washington, D.C. On May 6, 1856, the volunteer fireman was running with a hand engine, while pulling the engine he was run over en route to a call at Shreeve's Stable on 7th Street, NW
. Grenup was part of Columbia Fire Company #1, now known as DCFD
Engine Company #3.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
n artist Charles Rousseau, located at Glenwood Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. "Benjamin C. Grenup Monument" serves as the final resting place for firefighter Benjamin Grenup.
Description
This marble obeliskObelisk
An obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top, and is said to resemble a petrified ray of the sun-disk. A pair of obelisks usually stood in front of a pylon...
is on top of a square base with three reliefs on it. The south side of the base has a relief of Benjamin Grenup at the time of his death. The relief shows Grenup being run over by a fire water wagon and his fellow firefighters reacting to the accidental death—one has his arms in the air while the other firefighters stop the wagon. The west side of the base has a relief of a fire hose
Fire hose
A fire hose is a high-pressure hose used to carry water or other fire retardant to a fire to extinguish it. Outdoors, it is attached either to a fire engine or a fire hydrant. Indoors, it can be permanently attached to a building's standpipe or plumbing system...
and two nozzle
Nozzle
A nozzle is a device designed to control the direction or characteristics of a fluid flow as it exits an enclosed chamber or pipe via an orifice....
s. The east side has a relief of a fire axe, torch
Torch
A torch is a fire source, usually a rod-shaped piece of wood with a rag soaked in pitch and/or some other flammable material wrapped around one end. Torches were often supported in sconces by brackets high up on walls, to throw light over corridors in stone structures such as castles or crypts...
and spanner wrench tied together with a rope. Egg-and-dart
Egg-and-dart
Egg-and-dart or Egg-and-tongue is an ornamental device often carved in wood, stone, or plaster quarter-round ovolo mouldings, consisting of an egg-shaped object alternating with an element shaped like an arrow, anchor or dart. Egg-and-dart enrichment of the ovolo molding of the Ionic capital is...
motif along with garland and ribbons decorate the sculpture. The sculpture sits on a triangle plot surrounded by a fence. Fire hydrants sit at each of the three corners of the base.
The sculpture is signed on the base, south side: CH. ROUSSEAU. Sculptor.
The west side of the base is inscribed:
- Monument
- Committee.
- C Kauffman.
- W.P. Hicks.
- P. Kraft.
The north side of the base is inscribed:
BENJAMIN C. GRENUP
- AGED 24 YEARS
- KILLED IN THE DISCHARGE OF HIS DUTY
- MAY 6: 1856
- THIS MONUMENT IS ERECTED
- BY
- COLUMBIA ENGINE CO NO 1
- TO PERPETUATE THE MEMORY AND NOBLE DEEDS
- OF A
- GALLANT FIREMAN
- A TRUER NOBLER TRUSTIER HEART
- MORE LOVING OR MORE LOYAL NEVER BEAT
- WITHIN A HUMAN BREAST
The fence gate has signage reading:
- COLUMBIA, FIRE, CO.
- NO 1
- J. H. MEAD, - MAKER.
- C. St, BETWEEN 9 & 10 Sts
- Washington.
Artist
Charles Rousseau (d. Washington, D.C. 1903) may have been born in Belgium and lived in Washington DC and designed many monuments and gravestones in the area including Congressional CemeteryCongressional Cemetery
The Congressional Cemetery is a historic cemetery located at 1801 E Street, SE, in Washington, D.C., on the west bank of the Anacostia River. It is the final resting place of thousands of individuals who helped form the nation and the city of Washington in the early 19th century. Many members of...
. He may have received his education at the Royal Academies for Science and the Arts of Belgium
The Royal Academies for Science and the Arts of Belgium
There are two Royal Academies for Science and the Arts in Belgium, corresponding to the two main languages of the country, Dutch and French . The Academies are located in the Palace of Academies in Brussels....
. Very little documentation exists of his background.
Information
Benjamin Grenup is was the first firefighterFirefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
killed in action in Washington, D.C. On May 6, 1856, the volunteer fireman was running with a hand engine, while pulling the engine he was run over en route to a call at Shreeve's Stable on 7th Street, NW
7th Street (Washington, D.C.)
There are four north-south arteries in Washington, D.C. named Seventh Street that are differentiated by the quadrants of the city in which they are located. Historically, 7th Street has been a main north-south road in Washington, being the main route for travelers and farmers coming into the city...
. Grenup was part of Columbia Fire Company #1, now known as DCFD
District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
The District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, , established July 1, 1884, is the municipal fire department and emergency medical service agency for Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States...
Engine Company #3.