Description:The original statue of George Dawson, sculpted by Thomas Woolner. The canopy stands on four granite columns and was designed by J.H. Chamberlain. George Dawson (1821-1876) was originally a Baptist minister, but came to be known for preaching a civic gospel. He lectured on a wide variety of subjects and was an advocate of free public libraries. The memorial, erected in 1881, was not well-liked and was replaced by another statue by a different sculptor in 1885.