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Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden (1290L)

Notes on my thoughts,

Next to the Museum of Fine Arts is the Seussian Yertle Garden with a 10-turtle-tall tower from

reactions and questions as I

Yertle the Turtle, surrounded by winding granite pathways and imaginative landscaping.

read:

The sculptures not only tell the story of the famous author-illustrator by incorporating both his

words and his characters, but also provide a setting for contemporary storytellers.

"By creating the memorial, we hope to spark imagination and creativity in a new generation,"

said Joseph Carvalho, president of the Springfield Museums Association. "Dr. Seuss drew much

of his inspiration from his own neighborhood in Springfield. It's all still here, just waiting for

creative minds to discover it."

Theodor Seuss Geisel was born on Howard Street in Springfield in 1904 and grew up on

Fairfield Street in the city's Forest Park neighborhood. His father was a parks commissioner and

was in charge of the Forest ParkZoo, a regular playground for young Theodor Geisel. Springfield

imagery can be seen throughout his work in the names of streets, the drawings of buildings, the

names of his characters, and numerous other references.

The project was first envisioned when Theodor Geisel visited his hometown in 1986, lured by

cards from 600 school children who had participated in "Seussamania," a five-month-long

celebration of his work produced by the Springfield Library and the Springfield School

Volunteers. During that visit, Springfield Library & Museums Association officials broached the

idea of creating a local monument in his honor. Following Geisel's death in 1991, his wife,

Audrey, authorized the Association to create the national memorial, and has been a major

supporter throughout the project. Geisel's stepdaughter, the artist Dimond-Cates, watched first

hand as many of Dr. Seuss's characters came to life at his drawing board at his studio in La Jolla,

California.

The setting for the memorial was developed by the landscape architectural firm of Stephen

Stimson Associates of Falmouth, Massachusetts. The Lorax and Yertle the Turtle were cast at

Valley Bronze in Joseph, Oregon; Horton Court, The Storyteller, and Dr. Seuss and the Cat in

the Hat were cast at ART Research Enterprises in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The $6.2 million

project was funded through a variety of public and private sources, led by a generous gift from

Mrs. Geisel. A federal HUD grant, secured by Sen. Edward Kennedy and Congressman Richard

Neal, helped fund infrastructure and accessibility improvements for the park.

The Springfield Museums Association is a private, nonprofit organization which includes the

George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, the Springfield Science Museum, the Connecticut

Valley Historical Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, all grouped around a central

Quadrangle.

Dr. Seuss national memorial sculpture garden. Tortus Technologies. Retrieved Feb. 28, 2012. Available at

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