The statue was fabricated from heavy sheet copper by W. H. Mullins of Salem, Ohio in 1892.[1][2]
The gift of Italian-Americans, the statue was installed in 1892 in Wooster Square.[3][4] An October 12, 1892 article in the
New Haven Register described the time capsule that was placed under the statue: "The corner stone will hold a metallic box containing a number of coins and papers enclosed in a leathery case. There will be a written account of the proceedings of the day, together with a number of American, Italian, and Spanish coins.”[5]
In 1955, the original copper statue, which had deteriorated over time,[6] was recast in bronze.[7][8]
Vandalism and removal
In 2017, the statue was vandalized prior to
Columbus Day, with red paint splashed on the statue and the words "kill the colonizer" spray-painted along its base.[9][10]