Erected in 1859, Edward A. Brackett’s larger-than-life monument of Hosea Ballou is a treasured work of local artistry.

Hosea Ballou, a Universalist minister, theologian, and author, was originally buried on Boston Common in 1852, and later moved to Mount Auburn. His friends and colleagues wanted to create a monument in his memory, and stipulated in their fundraising that no donation should be more than a dollar. The existence of the monument is a testament to how beloved Ballou was by his community.

Brackett, known as a ‘portrait sculptor,’ was self-taught and had not traveled to Italy to study like many of his contemporaries. His 14-foot creation is extremely notable because of its local roots: it was a portrait of an eminent New Englander, crafted of New England marble, and carved by a New England sculptor.

The Ballou Monument was conserved in 2010.