John Mason Statue, 1889 & 1996In 1889 Paul Wayland Bartlett crafted the bronze statue of Major John Mason (1600-1672) that now stands in the middle of Palisado Green. Mason was a founder of Windsor and a military leader during the Pequot War. In 1637, the English launched a surprise attack against the Pequot at Fort Mystic. John Mason then ordered his men to set the fort on fire, killing between 500 and 800 Pequot men, women, and children. The statue was originally located on the site of this massacre and celebrated the defeat of the Pequot. By the late 20th century, the Pequot Nation gained recognition from the federal government and sought to have the statue removed from their tribal lands. The State of Connecticut searched for a new home, and the Windsor Historical Society urged that the statue be preserved on the town?s Palisado Green, near John Mason's original home lot. The statue was unveiled in June of 1996. Soon thereafter the statue was vandalized with red paint. John Mason's controversial story is still debated, but most residents now agree that, for better or worse, he and his statue are part of Windsor's history. Copyright 2015 Windsor Historical Society.
Website: http://patch.com/connecticut/windsor/john-mason-windsors-controversial-founding-father
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