Anna Jarvis, Statue and Signage

Title

Anna Jarvis, Statue and Signage

Creator

Hopen, William Douglas

Biographical Text

Marble statue depicting mother and children. Sculpted by William Douglas Hopen.

Metal plaque featuring silver text on a black backing.

Aluminum marker featuring black text on a white background.

Aluminum marker featuring bronze text on a white background.

White and black outdoor letterboard featuring black text.

The statue and signs are part of the International Mother's Day Shrine, located at the former Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton West Virginia. The shrine commemorates the church as the location of the first Mother's Day celebration on May 10th, 1908. Work to preserve the church as a shrine began in 1960 by the International Mother's Day Shrine Committee. The shrine credits Jarvis as the founder of Mother's Day, mentioning her efforts towards honoring the day throughout the signage. The statue, titled, "Mother With Children," was unveiled as part of the shrine during its 20th anniversary in 1982.

Text

[Text below Statue]
MOTHER WITH CHILDREN
BY
WILLIAM DOUGLAS HOPEN
GIFT OF
WEST VIRGINIA ALPHA DELTA KAPPA
1982

[Text on Black Plaque]
ANDREWS METHODIST EPISCOPAL
CHURCH
INTERNATIONAL
MOTHER'S DAY SHRINE
HAS BEEN DESIGNATED A
NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK
THIS PROPERTY POSSESSES NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE
IN COMMEMORATING THE HISTORY OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
1992
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[Text on White Marker with Black Text]
MOTHER'S DAY SHRINE
At the request of Miss Anna
Jarvis, the first Mother's Day
service was held in this church
May 10, 1908, in honor of her
mother. In 1914, President
Wilson designated the second
Sunday in May "Mother's Day."

[Text on White Marker with Bronze Text]
GRAFTON
William Robinson preempted
Buffalo Flats, site of Grafton,
in 1773. Here is only National
cemetery in State. Former home
of John T. McGraw, financier,
and Melville Davisson Post,
author. Anna Jarvis, founder
of Mother's Day lived here.

[Text on Letterboard]
INTERNATIONAL
MOTHER'S DAY SHRINE
OPEN
MONDAY - FRIDAY
9:30 - 3:30
CLOSED
SUNDAYS & HOLIDAYS

Date Created

1982

Type

English Statue

English Signage

Bibliographic Citation

"Mother's Day Shrine," The Charleston Daily Mail. May 12, 1972.

The Mother With Children statue, Idaho Press

Statue of Mother, Roadside America

History, International Mother's Day Shrine

Project Researcher

O'Neill, Iris