Conserving the Trophèe ďArmes
NPS Photo The sculpture atop Fort Jay The Trophèe ďArmes that sits atop the sally port of Fort Jay is one of the most distinctive features of the fortification-and one of the oldest American carved stone monuments anywhere in the country. Carved in the 1790s, the statue as it exists today depicts a large number of objects arrayed around the central, one-winged eagle: three flags and a bundle of sticks jut out upwards behind the eagle, while a mortar and canon, on the left and right sides of the sculpture respectively, point outwards. Around the work are various types of artillery shot, and the eagle clutches in its talons a shield, bearing a dawning sun upon its face. All carved out of red sandstone-commonly called brownstone in this region-the statue bears tremendous symbology in its various elements. Some elements are simple enough: Fort Jay protected New York Harbor throughout the 19th century by way of the artillery mounted behind its walls, explaining the guns and shot present in the sculpture. The flags and the eagle are common symbols of the United States of America. More obscure, however, is the bundle of sticks protruding from behind the eagle, topped by a cap: these sticks, bound together, was a common representation of the early United States, and the cap atop the bundle is actually a Liberty Cap, a garment worn by the famous Sons of Liberty, a patriotic organization during the American Revolution. The shield the eagle holds shows a sun rising over three mountains, still a symbol of New York State that is visible in the state's modern Great Seal. 
Michael J. O’Donnell and J. Duncan Campbell A shoulder plate worn by officers in the New York State Artillery The sculpture appears to be modeled after or at least draw many of its elements from a set of should plates worn by some New York State artillerymen at the turn of the 19th century. Fort Jay was owned and operated by New York State and its militia rather than the Federal government in its earliest days, and it is most likely the sculpture was carved or at least begun during this phase of its lifetime.
The sculpture has not always looked precisely as it has today. The earliest known photograph of the sculpture, taken in 1864, shows the both of the eagle's wings missing as well as one of the flags. It is unknown whether these elements had fallen off between the sculpture's construction and the date of the photograph or whether they were simply never completed. A photograph taken in 1913 is the first to show the statue after significant work had been done, adding two wings to the eagle and completing all three flags behind it. 
Judy Jacob The first known photograph of the sculpture, with drawings showing later additions Today, the National Park Service and its partners are hard at work to conserve the sculpture, which is of inestimable value. Conservators visit and evaluate the sculpture frequently, and conduct research as to its creation and maintenance. Various strategies have been proposed to shore up the statue, including removing it from fort to protect it from weather. This has been deemed infeasible, and the sculpture will remain atop the sally port as it has stood for over 200 years as we continue our conservational efforts. As we discover more about the Trophèe ďArmes of Fort Jay and design ways to conserve it, we'll post new information here. Stay tuned to this exciting and ongoing project at Governors Island National Monument. |
Did You Know?
The first and only European to claim private ownership of Governors Island was Wouter van Twiller, a man appointed by the Dutch West India Company as director of New Netherland between 1633 and 1638.