The Pioneer Memorial Obelisk in Houston, Texas, is a monument that commemorates the pioneers of this great state. The obelisk is located at Hermann Park, which was donated to the city by Adolphus and John Kirby Allen, prominent members of the pioneer community. Architect Alfred Finnila designed the obelisk statue itself with sculptor Albin Polasek’s help. It is made from granite quarried in Vermont by the granite company Barre Granite Works. The granite base of the obelisk contains inscriptions that tell the history of pioneer settlement in Texas. Information can be found here.
The Pioneer Memorial Obelisk in Houston, Texas, is a monument meant to commemorate those who came before us and made our lives better than they would have been otherwise. It stands at Hermann Park, which was donated to this city by Adolphus and John Kirby Allen, who were prominent community members during this period. Architect Alfred Finnila designed this statue with help from Albin Polasek, both notable figures themselves. From there, it was crafted out of granite quarried in Vermont by Barre Granite Works Company. Finally, on July 24th, 1926, construction on the obelisk was completed, and it has been standing ever since. See here for information about Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park in Houston, TX: An Architectural Wonder.
After the Civil War, a movement to honor Texas’ Confederate dead led to an imposing monument. The obelisk was built in 1871 and soon became known as “The Lone Star Monument.” It is also called the Pioneer Memorial Obelisk because it honors those who were among Texas’ first settlers. Today, this historic symbol stands tall near Allen Parkway in downtown Houston’s Hermann Park. The parkland once belonged to George H. Hermann (1841–1915), a German immigrant whose estate funded much of its development into what we know today as Hermann Park. When he died at age 74, he left behind $500,000 to the City of Houston for park development. Construction on this magnificent monument began in 1871 and was finally completed in 1936 thanks to fundraisers hosted by The Women’s Texas Confederate Monument Association.