Darius and Girenas Memorial, 1935
Raoul Josset and Charles
Koncevec
Marquette Park
West of South California
Avenue and south of West 67th Street
One of the few Art Deco style monuments located in the
Chicago park system, this memorial was dedicated by the Lithuanian community to
two Lithuanian-American pilots who attempted to establish a record by flying
from New York to Kaunas, Lithuania in July, 1933. Captain Stephen Darius and
Lieutenant Stanley Girenas served in the United States military in the fight
against Germany during World War I and, upon their return, they began planning
for their trans-Atlantic attempt. Unfortunately, their plane crashed in
northern Germany, only 400 miles short of their destination, and both died upon
impact.
The Lithuanian consul chose sculptor Raoul Josset, a
French immigrant living on Chicago’s North side, to create the bronze relief
portraits of the two pilots as well as the modernistic globe above that
outlines their flight path. Chicago architect Charles Koncevec designed the
polished granite structure that frames the globe, portraits and curved railing
with the dedication in sleek lettering. At the dedication ceremony in July of
1935, 40,000 people were gathered in Marquette Park.
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