Gen. William F. Draper Statue Celebrates its 100th Anniversary

What happens when a notable work of public art turns 100? In Milford, this was cause for celebration.

The Milford Historical Commission organized a big party to mark the 100th anniversary of the dedication of the Gen. William F. Draper statue, which sits at center of what is now Draper Memorial Park.

It features Gen. William F. Draper, who commanded the Massachusetts 25th Regiment in the Civil War, through a series of southern campaigns.

The statue, in bronze, sits on a base of granite from a Milford quarry. It was given 100 years ago to the town of Milford as a gift, from his wife, Susan Preston Draper.

Daniel Chester French, an American sculptor (1850-1931), created the statue. French is among the most notable American sculptors. He also created the statue of the Minute Man in Concord, and the seated sculpture of John Harvard at Harvard University.

The ceremony on Sept. 25, the 100th anniversary of the dedication, drew Draper family descendants to Milford from as far as Atlanta and Maine.