Bridgeport, CT – Yesterday, Mayor Ganim and Senator Richard Blumenthal announced state grant funding that will be used for restoring the Perry Memorial Arch, located at the entrance of Bridgeport’s Seaside Park. The $500,000 grant will be used to make many improvements on the archway, which includes: replacing the arch’s metal roof and gutters, pinning of walls and granite, repairs to the arch’s foundation, interior cleaning, plumbing and draining of abandoned formwork, cleaning of the bronze plaque, and other improvements. Restoration of the archway is set to begin July 2024.
Mayor Ganim stated, “I want to sincerely thank Senator Blumenthal and other state delegates for granting us the funds to preserve the Perry Memorial Arch. This archway serves as the gateway to Seaside Park and directly reflects the historic nature we hold to a high stature, here in Bridgeport. The archway has also served as the entry into many celebratory events throughout our City and I’m appreciative of the fact that this monument will continue to be a significant part of the fabric of our community.”
With over 100 years of history, the archway was constructed in 1918 underneath the creative direction of Henry Bacon, who was also responsible for the design of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The Perry Memorial arch was designed as a tribute to William Perry, a former superintendent of the Wheeler and Wilson sewing machine company that once was based in Bridgeport during the latter half of the 1800s. Perry also served as the president of the Parks Board Commission in Bridgeport, to which his will funded the constructing of the archway leading into Seaside Park.
