The Dick Dowling statue in Hermann Park raises many questions over its origin and its inconspicuous location in the back of Hermann Park. One of the most frequently asked questions about the Dick Dowling statue is who was behind the statue and what were their objectives for commissioning the statue to be built? Looking through the sources, it becomes evident that delegates from the Dick Dowling Camp of Confederate Veterans, members from the Ancient Organization of Hibernians, and the Emmett Council, a Catholic organization, were involved in organizing the creation and dedication of the Dowling Monument (Transcript of Dowling Monument Ass. Records, 3). Many of the sources indicate that these organizations were involved because “each group represented an important facet of Dick Dowling’s life,” including his service to the Confederacy, his Irish nationality, and his Catholicism (SC1268-01-02, RGA33-b2f23-01). In fact, members of both Irish organizations and the Dick Dowling Camp were requested to send members to the dedication of the Dick Dowling Monument in 1905 (Transcript Ass. Records, 67). Furthermore, the Dick Dowling Memorial Association ordered that the statue be decorated with symbols of the Confederacy, the Irish Harp and Shamrock, and the Coat of Arms of Texas (Transcript Records, 179). Thus, each of the separate organizations within the committee desired that the statue reflect their own affiliation and relationship with Dowling. Furthermore, I believe each of these organizations attempted to “claim” Dowling as a representative of their organization and this is why they were involved in commissioning the statue to be built.
In regard to my own question about Dowling’s present location at the southeastern edge of Hermann Park, the sources shed little light on why the statue is in its current obscure location. The sources do, on the other hand, indicate why the statue was moved from its original location in front of City Hall in 1905. After City Hall burned down in 1940, the statue was first moved to Sam Houston Park, and then in 1958 the statue was moved again to its present location in Hermann Park (RGA33-b2f23-11). However, the sources are unclear on why the statue was moved from Sam Houston Park to storage and then taken from storage again. Some of the sources emphasize that George Hermann participated in the original fund raising for the Dowling Monument and perhaps this is why the statue was moved to Hermann Park (RGA33-b2f23-01). Another source mentions that the “statue must be moved to accommodate the renovation and master plan for Hermann Park” (RGA33-b2f25-09). An article from the Houston Chronicle, dated April 27, 1958, comments that the director of City Parks and Recreation, Gus Haycock, chose the statue to be situated in front of Hermann Hospital. However, trustees of the Hermann estate informed Haycock that this location was reserved for George Hermann. Thus, a different location was designated for the Dowling statue. However, Tod Needham, an Irishman, complained that he did not want the statue to be “shoved in some obscure corner of the park.” In response, Haycock stated that he believed the alternate site was not obscure and would suite the Dowling statue well (RGA33-b2f25-84).
This newspaper article leads me to believe that Dowling’s current location is a product of Hermann’s estate demanding that a statue of George Hermann be placed in the more appealing location. Yet, this does not answer why the Dowling statue was moved from Sam Houston Park or why it was placed in storage for so many years. The articles from this archive allow us to answer many questions posed about the Dowling statue. However, the articles do not delve into the motives and reasons behind many of the events like why the statue is in its current resting place. Instead, these articles simply record the events as they transpired. After browsing through the archive, my question is as follows: did the burning of City Hall serve as an excuse to move the Dowling statue from a place of prominence or was it simply a coincidence? Also, I would like to know why in the Houston Chronicle article from 1997 (SC1268-f1-14), they refer to Dowling as an Irish hero and not a Civil War hero? Does this reflect growing sentiment about the unpopularity of Texas’s role in the Civil War and Houston’s attitude towards its Civil War “heroes”?