HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/15/2002, COMM - FREMONT MONUMENT: PRESENTATION TO CHC - MEETING F1,'��ENDA
DATE " ITEM #
Continued to:
MEMO MEETING AGENDA.
DATE z ITEM #
September 28, 2002
To: Council Collea
From: Ken Schwartz '
Copies: Ken Hampian, en y George,John Mandeville, Michael McCluskey
Re: Fremont Monument: presentation to CHC ..
Attached you will find a Request for Review and.Approvalthat I have prepared for
presentation to the CHC during its October 28'h meeting.
The Fremont Monument has sat pretty much un-noticed at the SE corner of Mill and
Osos Streets for years and years. I would like to see some fairly simple embellishments
made that would likely call greater attention to this monument. Given John C. Fremont's
importance in the entry of California to the United States and his briefbut noteworthy
stay in San Luis Obispo, I thought it was time to do something more.
If you think that this is wrong-minded, I would appreciate knowing your concerns.
I have not burdened you with the attachments to the `Request,' but if you would like to
read them I would be pleased to forward copies to you after we return from the League
Conference.
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Request for Review and Approval
October 28, 2002
To: Cultural Heritage Committee m s Charles Crotser,Paula Carr, Margot
McDonald, Steve*McMa , Bob Schrage, Matt Whittlesley and
Chairman TomWFrom Councilman Ken SchwCopies: Ken Hampian, WendyMandeville and Mike McCluskey
Subject: Embellishments to the Fremont Monument at the corner of Osos and Mill
Streets
Background
To the best of my knowledge,there are only two figures important in the history of
California that are recognized by memorials in our City. One is a statue of Father Serra
located on the Mission grounds and the second is a gravestone-like monument
commemorating John C. Fremont located at the comer of Osos and Mill Streets. Two
elementary Schools commemorate local personages, Sinsheimer and Teach, and a thud
commemorates Romuldo Pacheo, a local who became governor of California.
For years,the obscurity of the Fremont monument has troubled me. I doubt whether
many residents even know it exists.
When work was initiated on the Transit Center along Osos Street, I belatedly awoke to
the possibility of integrating an embellishment of the monument as a part of that project.
Transit Center plans that the CHC previously approved called for the repositioning of the
monument,but that was all. (Incidentally, the re-positioning has taken already place.) In
the meantime,the Transit Center went over budget and items had to removed. The idea
of adding to the monument via a change order isnot now possible. Nevertheless, I wish
to pursue this embellishment idea with the hope that some service organization looking
for a "project"might pick up on it and carry it out.
Proposal
To make the Fremont marker more prominent and visually more interesting without
changing the existing monument or its commemorative plaque, I propose three things be
done:
1. Improve the landscape setting by building a 24"high masonry wall in an arc
reaching from Osos to Mill(starting and ending behind the sidewalks)that weds
the monument and creates more visual mass. Change the plants in front of the
masonry wall to a mass of low lying but colorful plants such as yellow marigolds.
The planting behind the wall to remain as specified for the transit center. (See
attachment#1, Pian;and attachment#2, Perspective drawing.)
2. Attach a 16 foot flagpole to the adjacent wall and fly a replica of the 28 star flag
that was the official United States flag of 1846 the time of Fremont's march
from Monterey to San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara to supplant Mexican
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Page 2: Fremont Monument
authority with that ofthe United States. The flagpole would have an inscription
attesting to the 28 star historical flag. This flag would be night-lighted to conform
with the new City policy ofleaving all flags flying 24 hours thus reducing the
labor of raising and lowering flags each day.
3. Add a small engraved stone behind the sidewalk at ground level with the
description of Fremont's accomplishments as encapsulated by his wife, Jessie
Benton Fremont: "From the ashes of his campfires have sprung cities."
John C. Fremont was an important figure in American history, an Army topographical
engineer who mapped much of the Great Basin. He was often called"the pathfinder"or
"path-marker"for his exploits in finding routes through the Sierras into California and
Oregon. A Major General during the Civil War,Fremont served as U.S. Senator from
California and 1856 he was the first nominee for President ofthe newly formed
Republican Party. Fremont, California, is one of several American cities that bear his
name.
I think we might do better in drawing attention to the monument erected in honor of
Fremont's exploits here in San Luis Obispo and that is the purpose of this request.
Attachment# 3 contains additional information obtained from the Library of Congress
program called"Ask Your Librarian."
Attachment#4 is the official American flag of 1846.
Additional descriptive information of Fremont's arrival and short stay in San Luis Obispo
can be found on pages 233-235 of Dale L Walker's Bear Flag Rising, The Conquest of
California, 1846, and on pages 87-89 of Thompson&West's 1883 History of San Luis
ObiWo County. California. This latter book points out that Fremont's encampment was
located in the vicinity of what is now the intersection of Morro and MID Streets several
yards from where the monument is located.
Cowes+ /- 3