New London Cenotaph
The memorial in 2016 | |
Interactive map of New London Cenotaph | |
| Location | 690 Main Street New London, Texas, United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 32°14′21″N 94°56′31″W / 32.23917°N 94.94194°W |
| Designer | Matchett Herring Coe (sculptor) Donald Nelson (architect) |
| Type | Cenotaph |
| Material | Granite |
| Length | 18 feet (5.5 m) |
| Width | 18 feet (5.5 m) |
| Height | 36 feet (11 m) |
| Beginning date | 1938 |
| Completion date | 1939 |
| Dedicated date | 1939 |
| Dedicated to | The people who died in the New London School explosion |
The New London Cenotaph is a monument in New London, Texas, United States. The structure was constructed as a public memorial for the New London School explosion, a 1937 gas explosion that resulted in the deaths of about 300 people. It was designed by sculptor Matchett Herring Coe and architect Donald Nelson and dedicated in 1939.
The memorial, a cenotaph, is made of pink granite and consists of two columns supporting a large block that features sculptures of students and teachers in bas-relief. It is located near the site of the explosion, in the median of Texas State Highway 42 between a local history museum and a high school that was built on the site of the old school building. It serves as the site of memorial services held every year on March 18, the date of the disaster.