On November 20, 1871, Worcester executed a $50,000 contract with sculptor Randolph Rogers for a 52-foot granite and bronze monument to its fallen soldiers, intended for dedication within eighteen months. Two issues remained unresolved: the location and the final list of Worcester men who had died in the late war. Despite concerns that some names might be overlooked or wrongly attributed to Worcester, by December 30, 1872, the list was declared complete, with a final chance for corrections before it was sent to the sculptor in Rome. The monument's site remained under debate even at this late stage. In his 1872 annual report to the City Council, parks commissioner Edward Winslow Lincoln argued against placing it on the Common and suggested instead sites such as Summer Street, Washington Square, Wellington Square, and Lincoln Square. Nevertheless, on June 3, 1873, the northeast corner of the Common was chosen because it could be seen from the entrance of the new union depot and the central area of Washington Square, offering the most central position and the greatest range of view. The present location was not finally approved until March 30, 1874, and a wooden framework was erected on the proposed site to show how the monument would stand. After agreement was reached, final work began and July 4 was set for the dedication. By May 22 the foundation stone was being laid amid considerable public attention and continued argument over where the monument should have stood. The first granite arrived by June 3, and on June 19 a derrick was in place to raise the massive blocks. The dedication was rescheduled again for July 15. On Friday, July 23, the Daily Spy reported that the bronze statue of the Goddess of Victory, to stand atop the soldiers' monument, had been unboxed and photographed and would probably be placed in position that morning.
