Vernon's Landmark 'Weird' Monument Back And Better Than Ever

VERNON, CT — A Vernon landmark that is listed on several bucket lists of "weird" things to see in Connecticut is back at Central Park across from Town Hall — and it's better than ever.

That's right, the refurbished statue of Dr. Henry D. Cogswell, a Tolland native, dentist and crusader in the 1800s temperance movement who made his fortune pulling teeth in California during the Gold Rush and making wise investments in San Francisco real estate, was unveiled Wednesday.

The fiberglass replica of the original white bronze statue underwent extensive restoration at Bundy Motors on Route 30. It was placed atop a pedestal that also underwent restoration work this spring at the shop.

Vernon Mayor Dan Champagne gave kudos to the Department of Public Works crew that carefully placed the statue Wednesday morning.

"The Cogswell statue has been a part of our town’s history since 1883 and it is important to recognize that history," Champagne said. "The restoration and repainting of the base has brought out a variety of intricate and interesting details and I encourage our residents to stop by and take a look."

Cogswell erected 31 statues around the nation advocating against the use of alcohol. Some of the statues included water fountains. Cogswell believed that given the choice, people would choose cool fresh water over alcohol.

Cogswell erected his statue in Rockville in June 1883 to honor his cousin, Rockville resident William T. Cogswell. It was completed by the Monumental Bronze Co., of Bridgeport, and depicts Dr. Cogswell holding a cup of water in his right hand and a temperance pledge in his left. Fountains provided fresh water, which Cogswell believed was much more wholesome than booze.

The statue and its message were popular with Rockville’s mill owners and the old school Yankees, historians tell is. The immigrant groups that worked at the factories — Germans, Irish, Polish and other immigrants were not as enamored of it. No one ever officially pointed a finger, but, about two years after it was erected, in July 1885, Dr. Cogswell went missing.

Historians tell us that wagon tracks led authorities to Shenipsit Lake, and that the statue was found stuck in the mud. It was recovered, cleaned up and placed back on its pedestal.

It soon vanished again, only to be returned to its pedestal in 1908 for the town centennial celebration.

A sign placed on the statue read, "I’ve come back for Old Home Week."

Soon after, the statue was placed in storage in a barn at the Town Farm, but, during World War II it was donated during a scrap drive.

The pedestal remained and a flower pot was placed atop it.

Few of the statues Cogswell placed around the nation exist in their original form. They were either vandalized by people who did not share Cogswell’s views about alcohol, or simply removed. In 2005 a replica of the statue, made of fiberglass, was donated by a historically-minded Rockville resident named Rosetta Pitkat. It was placed atop the original pedestal during a “Welcome Home” ceremony. Mrs. Pitkat, who was a retired school teacher and Rockville native, died in October 2016 at the age of 103.

Exposure to the elements have taken a toll on the fiberglass statue and it has been refurbished twice since 2005. The fountains that once supplied fresh tap water, have long since been disconnected. They do, however, show off just how ornate the monument is.