"On July 9, 1776, news of the signing of the Declaration of Independence reached New York City. The document was read aloud, and that night, a group of patriots gathered at Bowling Green. Under the cover of darkness, the group got to work. The statue weighed 4,000 pounds but eventually, they pulled it from its pedestal - sending it crashing to the ground."
"The statue itself had been highly ornate - depicting King George as a Roman emperor, adorned with gold leaf, a symbol of power and prestige. Its destruction became something else entirely: a powerful image of rebellion - ordinary people pulling down a king and turning his symbol of authority into weapons."
The statue of King George III, erected in Bowling Green Park, was torn down by patriots on July 9, 1776, after the Declaration of Independence was read. Weighing 4,000 pounds, the statue was pulled from its pedestal and destroyed, with parts melted down for musket balls. Fragments of the statue resurfaced over time, with some found by farmers and others by metal detectorists. The statue's destruction became a powerful symbol of rebellion against British authority, though the fate of the king's head remains a mystery.
Read at ABC7 Los Angeles
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