William Elias B. Davis statue

From Bhamwiki
Revision as of 23:24, 8 April 2009 by Dystopos (talk | contribs)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

The William Elias B. Davis statue is a bronze sculpture located at the entrance to the original Hillman Hospital on 20th Street South. The work was created by artist Giuseppe Moretti in 1905. The statue was built as a tribute to the early Birmingham doctor and surgeon William Elias B. Davis.

History

Following the death of Dr. Davis in 1903, by December 1904, the Southern Surgical and Gynecological Society appropriated money for what would become the Davis statue. The statue was officially dedicated in Capitol Park on December 14, 1905 with over 5,000 persons in attendance. The statue was unveiled by his daughters Elizabeth and Margaret Davis, with acting governor Russell Cunningham present to accept the statue on behalf of the state. The statue would remain in the park through its relocation to its present location on November 4, 1957.

A proposal to relocate the statue in 1998 would have moved the statue to Trussville, W.E.B. Davis' birthplace. The move was proposed as at the time the Hillman Hospital was facing demolition, thus leaving the statue without a place to be located. The proposal to move the statue was subsequently abandoned after the decision was made not to demolish Hillman.

References

  • Gorman, Gene. (July 25, 1998) "Trussville seeks to bring statue of Dr. Davis home." Birmingham News
  • The American Journal of Obstetrics and Diseases of Women and Children. v.51 (1905) "Unveiling exercises." p. 275 [1]
  • UAB Archives. "A Chronology of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and its Predecessor Institutions and Organizations, 1831-." UAB [2]

External links

Retrieved from "http://bhamwiki.com/w/index.php?title=William_Elias_B._Davis_statue&oldid=44830"