Plattsburgh officials today commemorated the 100th anniversary of a monument downtown commemorating an American victory there during the War of 1812.
The Thomas Macdonough Monument, designed by John Russell Pope, is a 135-foot-tall column topped by an eagle sculpture with a 22-foot wingspan. Plattsburgh Mayor Wendell Hughes says Tuesday’s ceremony allows people to stop and think about what it represents.
"The monument was dedicated right here in 1926 to honor Commodore Thomas Macdonough and the American victory at the Battle of Plattsburgh. Now, exactly 100 years later, we have the opportunity to gather in the same place and recognize the history together."
A larger military ceremony will be held in September during the annual Battle of Plattsburgh commemoration.
