He began carving stone and in 1819 cut the Ionic columns for St. Paul’s Church, which launched
the fad for Greek Revival structures in Boston. These columns were made from Aquia Creek sandstone, a notoriously crumbly
rock quarried in Virginia and used in the U.S. Capitol and the White House. Willard also began to design buildings and to
teach drawing and architecture. By the early 1820s, he was well known and well regarded in Boston.
His involvement with Bunker Hill began in August 1824, when directors of the Bunker Hill Monument Association (BHMA) asked
Willard to submit a plan for a monumental column. Boston Brahmins, such as Daniel Webster and Thomas Handasyd Perkins, had
formed the association in 1823 to build “a simple, majestic, lofty, and permanent monument, which shall carry down to remote
ages a testimony . . . to the heroic virtue and courage of those men who began and achieved the independence of their country.” 11
By 1825 the BHMA had raised money and decided what type of monument would best honor one of the most important battles of
the Revolution, which the American forces lost and that didn’t occur on Bunker Hill. They also purchased property—eventually
totaling fifteen acres—on Breed’s Hill, where the battle did take place. Apparently not pleased with Willard’s potential design,
the directors also published a notice in Boston papers and around the country announcing a design competition, with the winner
receiving a hundred dollars. In response, Willard told Boston’s best and brightest he “had no wish to enter into any contest
about the designs.” 12 (I suspect that in private his words were a bit saltier.)
Fifty designs were submitted, including an obelisk from Robert Mills, who designed the Washington Monument in 1836. A former
student of Willard’s, Horatio Greenough, won the competition in April with his own obelisk. In his memoir Greenough wrote,“The
obelisk . . . says but one word, but it speaks loud. If I understand its voice, it says, Here! It says no more.” 13
Despite Greenough’s plan, the directors dithered on whether an obelisk or a column was more appropriate for the monument.
Part of the problem was style and part was cost, so the BHMA appealed to Willard to make a cost estimate for an obelisk and
for a column. After learning that a column would cost $75,000 and an obelisk $60,000, the directors finally reduced their
decision to one all could agree upon and chose the obelisk. Keeping to their rapid-fire decision-making, they appointed a
committee of five to prepare a design.
It was most likely during his cost preparation work that Willard found his ledge in Quincy. Two days after the directors’
meeting, a young engineer and friend of Willard's, Gridley Bryant, who had helped Willard on the cost estimates, bought the
four-acre property in Quincy for $250. 14
Ten days after approving the obelisk, and for no apparent reason not willing to use Greenough’s plan, association directors
laid a cornerstone commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill. Thousands watched on June 17, 1825,
as the great French general the Marquis de Lafayette led the ceremonies. Workers buried a box within the cornerstone that
contained official accounts of the battle, coins and medals, and a piece of Plymouth Rock, a 620-million-year-old granite
from Dedham. 15
The design committee presented their plan on July 5. Taller and simpler than Greenough’s obelisk, the new proposal included
details on the foundation, the interior lighting and steps, size of stones, obelisk dimension, and cost. Construction and
design now totaled $100,000. The committee also recommended hiring an architect and superintendent.
Continuing to move at their normal speedy pace, the directors named Solomon Willard as architect and superintendent on October
31,1825. He offered to do the job for free but ultimately accepted the $500 per year the
the fad for Greek Revival structures in Boston. These columns were made from Aquia Creek sandstone, a notoriously crumbly
rock quarried in Virginia and used in the U.S. Capitol and the White House. Willard also began to design buildings and to
teach drawing and architecture. By the early 1820s, he was well known and well regarded in Boston.
His involvement with Bunker Hill began in August 1824, when directors of the Bunker Hill Monument Association (BHMA) asked
Willard to submit a plan for a monumental column. Boston Brahmins, such as Daniel Webster and Thomas Handasyd Perkins, had
formed the association in 1823 to build “a simple, majestic, lofty, and permanent monument, which shall carry down to remote
ages a testimony . . . to the heroic virtue and courage of those men who began and achieved the independence of their country.” 11
By 1825 the BHMA had raised money and decided what type of monument would best honor one of the most important battles of
the Revolution, which the American forces lost and that didn’t occur on Bunker Hill. They also purchased property—eventually
totaling fifteen acres—on Breed’s Hill, where the battle did take place. Apparently not pleased with Willard’s potential design,
the directors also published a notice in Boston papers and around the country announcing a design competition, with the winner
receiving a hundred dollars. In response, Willard told Boston’s best and brightest he “had no wish to enter into any contest
about the designs.” 12 (I suspect that in private his words were a bit saltier.)
Fifty designs were submitted, including an obelisk from Robert Mills, who designed the Washington Monument in 1836. A former
student of Willard’s, Horatio Greenough, won the competition in April with his own obelisk. In his memoir Greenough wrote,“The
obelisk . . . says but one word, but it speaks loud. If I understand its voice, it says, Here! It says no more.” 13
Despite Greenough’s plan, the directors dithered on whether an obelisk or a column was more appropriate for the monument.
Part of the problem was style and part was cost, so the BHMA appealed to Willard to make a cost estimate for an obelisk and
for a column. After learning that a column would cost $75,000 and an obelisk $60,000, the directors finally reduced their
decision to one all could agree upon and chose the obelisk. Keeping to their rapid-fire decision-making, they appointed a
committee of five to prepare a design.
It was most likely during his cost preparation work that Willard found his ledge in Quincy. Two days after the directors’
meeting, a young engineer and friend of Willard's, Gridley Bryant, who had helped Willard on the cost estimates, bought the
four-acre property in Quincy for $250. 14
Ten days after approving the obelisk, and for no apparent reason not willing to use Greenough’s plan, association directors
laid a cornerstone commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill. Thousands watched on June 17, 1825,
as the great French general the Marquis de Lafayette led the ceremonies. Workers buried a box within the cornerstone that
contained official accounts of the battle, coins and medals, and a piece of Plymouth Rock, a 620-million-year-old granite
from Dedham. 15
The design committee presented their plan on July 5. Taller and simpler than Greenough’s obelisk, the new proposal included
details on the foundation, the interior lighting and steps, size of stones, obelisk dimension, and cost. Construction and
design now totaled $100,000. The committee also recommended hiring an architect and superintendent.
Continuing to move at their normal speedy pace, the directors named Solomon Willard as architect and superintendent on October
31,1825. He offered to do the job for free but ultimately accepted the $500 per year the
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