Museum Collections

Bronze struck rectangualar plaquette with arched top; obverse bears four round medallions with male bust portraits labelled, from left to right: "C.S.BUSHNELL," "CAPTAIN JOHN ERICSSON," "J.F.WINSLOW," and "J.A.GRISWOLD"; striped shield enclosed by laurel wreath above; image of iron-clad turreted battleship below; inscription beneath: "CAPTAIN JOHN ERICSSON,/RESIDED HERE AT 95 FRANKLIN STREET 1844 - 1864/HE DESIGNED IN 1861, THE FIRST IRON CLAD TURRETED BATTLESHIP, "MONITOR"/THE CONTRACT WAS OBTAINED FROM THE GOVERNMENT BY CORNELIUS/S. BUSHNELL OF NEW HAVEN, CONN., WHO, WITH JOHN F. WINSLOW AND/JOHN A. GRISWOLD OF TROY, N.Y., FINANCED ITS CONSTRUCTION./IT WAS BUILT IN 100 WORKING DAYS./ON MARCH 9TH 1862 THE "MONITOR" UNDER JOHN L. WORDEN, COMMANDER,/ALBAN C. STIMERS, CHIEF ENGINEER, ARRIVED AT HAMPTON ROADS, VA., AND/AFTER A SEVERE ENGAGEMENT, ENDED THE CAREER OF THE "MERRIMAC,"/WHICH ON THE PRECEDING DAY HAD SUNK THE U.S.S. "CUMBERLAND" AND/"CONGRESS." THE TIDE OF WAR WAS TURNED, AND THE DESIGN OF THE/"MONITOR" REVOLUTIONIZED THE NAVIES OF THE WORLD."; in exergue: "AMERICAN SCENIC AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION SOCIETY CUSTODIAN." Reverse bears inscription: "BRONZE TABLET UNVEILED ON JULY 31ST 1924/THE 121ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTHDAY OF/Capt. John Ericsson/UNDER THE AUSPICES OF/THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ENGINEERS AND INDUSTRY/ASSOCIATED WITH/THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION WASHINGTON D.C./Compliments of/Great American/Insurance Company/New York." Four bulbous supports at corners.