Pleasant Plains Plaza

The bronze victory figure created by sculptor and Tottenville resident George Thomas Brewster (1862–1943) was originally dedicated on June 9, 1923. Local residents raised funds for the sculpture and commemorative tablets that honor the 493 soldiers and sailors from the Fifth Ward of Staten Island, including the 13 who lost their lives in combat, who served in World War I. The female figure stands on a granite pedestal holding a sword and palm frond high in the air while an eagle with its wings spread sits at her feet.

Formerly in a narrower traffic island at the juncture of Amboy and Bloomingdale Roads, the Pleasant Plains Monument was damaged by vehicles in 1968 and 1970. After the second accident it was removed to storage; at some point it mysteriously disappeared. The present sculpture, recreated from historic photographs, was modeled by Glenn Hines, fabricated by Modern Art Foundry of Queens, and reinstalled in this expanded and improved site in 1996, and rededicated nearly 74 years later on June 8, 1997.