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Photo # NH 102774-KN:  USS Bennington Monument, Fort Rosecrans, San Diego, California.  Postal card mailed in 1922

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- EVENTS -- The 1900s -- 1905

USS Bennington Monument, San Diego, California

The two years after the tragic boiler explosion on board the gunboat Bennington, a sixty-foot granite obelisk was erected on the site where most of the ship's dead were buried. Dedicated on 7 January 1908, this monument is now part of Fort Rosecrans National Cemetary.

This page features, and provides links to, all the views we have concerning the USS Bennington Monument at San Diego, California.

For more pictures of this monument, see:

  • USS Bennington Monument, San Diego, California -- Part II.

    For more images related to USS Bennington and her boiler explosion, see:

  • USS Bennington (Gunboat # 4), 1891-1910; and
  • Boiler Explosion on USS Bennington, 21 July 1905.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions.

    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

    Photo #: NH 82136

    USS Bennington Monument
    , San Diego, California

    Ceremonies dedicating the monument at Fort Rosecrans, overlooking San Diego harbor, 7 January 1908. It was erected in memory of the Navy personnel who lost their lives in the boiler explosion on board USS Bennington (Gunboat # 4) at San Diego on 21 July 1905.
    North Island and Coronado are in the left background. USS Charleston (Cruiser # 22) is at right.
    Photographed by Norton-Bennette, 820 Fifth St., San Diego.

    Collection of Lieutenant Commander Abraham DeSomer, donated by Myles DeSomer, 1975.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 79KB; 740 x 570 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 102768-KN (color)

    Dedication of the USS Bennington Monument, Point Loma, San Diego, California, 7 January 1908

    Fine-screen halftone reproduction of a photograph by S. Sutcliffe, of San Diego, published on a postal card, with a tribute taken from an address made at the ceremony by Rear Admiral Caspar F. Goodrich. The view looks southwards, with North Island in the middle distance.
    The monument was erected in memory of the Navy personnel who lost their lives in the boiler explosion on board USS Bennington (Gunboat # 4) at San Diego on 21 July 1905.
    The ends of the original postal card had been trimmed off.

    Donation of H.E. ("Ed") Coffer.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 114KB; 740 x 510 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 102769

    Bennington Monument
    ,
    Fort Rosecrans, San Diego, California

    Photograph taken circa the Nineteen-"Teens".
    This monument was erected as a memorial to the men lost in the 21 July 1905 boiler explosion on board USS Bennington (Gunboat # 4) at San Diego.
    Note nearby grave stones, and the inscription on the monument's plaque: "To The Bennington's Dead July 21 1905".

    Donation of H.E. ("Ed") Coffer.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 64KB; 470 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 95248-KN (color)

    USS Bennington Monument, Fort Rosecrans, San Diego, California

    Color-tinted postal card, published by the Newman Company, Los Angeles, California.
    This monument was erected in memory of the Navy personnel who lost their lives in the boiler explosion on board USS Bennington (Gunboat # 4) at San Diego on 21 July 1905.

    Courtesy of H.E. ("Ed") Coffer, 1983.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 98KB; 480 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 102739-A-KN (color)

    USS Bennington Monument, Fort Rosecrans, San Diego, California

    Color-tinted postal card, published by Edward H. Mitchell, San Francisco, California.
    This monument was erected in memory of the Navy personnel who lost their lives in the boiler explosion on board USS Bennington (Gunboat # 4) at San Diego on 21 July 1905.

    Donation of H.E. ("Ed") Coffer.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 79KB; 480 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 102739-KN (color)

    USS Bennington Monument, Fort Rosecrans, San Diego, California

    Color-tinted postal card, published by Edward H. Mitchell, San Francisco, California.
    This monument was erected in memory of the Navy personnel who lost their lives in the boiler explosion on board USS Bennington (Gunboat # 4) at San Diego on 21 July 1905.

    Courtesy of Mrs. Ruth Mayfield.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 98KB; 470 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 102772-KN (color)

    USS Bennington Monument, Fort Rosecrans, San Diego, California

    Color-tinted postal card, published by The Benham Co., Los Angeles, California.
    This monument was erected in memory of the Navy personnel who lost their lives in the boiler explosion on board USS Bennington (Gunboat # 4) at San Diego on 21 July 1905.

    Donation of H.E. ("Ed") Coffer.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 77KB; 475 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 102774-KN (color)

    USS Bennington Monument, Fort Rosecrans, San Diego, California

    Color-tinted postal card, published by H.L. Christiance, San Diego.
    This monument was erected in memory of the Navy personnel who lost their lives in the boiler explosion on board USS Bennington (Gunboat # 4) at San Diego on 21 July 1905.
    North Island is in the right background.
    One copy of this card was mailed at Long Beach, California, on 28 October 1922 with the following message: "Say Betsy! Pointing to Heaven. Looks like a long slender finger, doesn't it?."

    Courtesy of H.E. ("Ed") Coffer.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 79KB; 740 x 495 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 95247-A-KN (color)

    USS Bennington Monument, Fort Rosecrans, San Diego, California

    Color-tinted postal card, published by I.L. Eno, San Diego.
    This monument was erected in memory of the Navy personnel who lost their lives in the boiler explosion on board USS Bennington (Gunboat # 4) at San Diego on 21 July 1905.
    North Island is in the right background.

    Courtesy of H.E. ("Ed") Coffer, 1983.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 81KB; 740 x 485 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 95247-KN (color)

    USS Bennington Monument, Fort Rosecrans, San Diego, California

    Color-tinted postal card, published by I.L. Eno, San Diego. It was mailed on 1 May 1939.
    This monument was erected in memory of the Navy personnel who lost their lives in the boiler explosion on board USS Bennington (Gunboat # 4) at San Diego on 21 July 1905.
    North Island is in the right background.

    Courtesy of H.E. ("Ed") Coffer, 1983.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 75KB; 740 x 490 pixels

     

    For more pictures of this monument, see:

  • USS Bennington Monument, San Diego, California -- Part II.

    For more images related to USS Bennington and her boiler explosion, see:

  • USS Bennington (Gunboat # 4), 1891-1910; and
  • Boiler Explosion on USS Bennington, 21 July 1905.


    NOTES:

  • To the best of our knowledge, the pictures referenced here are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded and used for any purpose.

  • Some images linked from this page may bear obsolete credit lines citing the organization name: "Naval Historical Center". Effective 1 December 2008 the name should be cited as: "Naval History and Heritage Command".


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions.


    Return to Naval History and Heritage Command home page.

    Page made 4 March 2005
    Coding updated 10 May 2009