The American Red Cross Was Born in Dansville

On August 22, 1881, Clara Barton held the organizational meeting of the First Chapter of the American Red Cross in Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church. Barton, then aged 59, was living in Dansville while taking treatments at the Water Cure (“Castle on the Hill”) to recuperate from her nursing activities in the Crimean War.

Publicly Honoring Her Legacy

In 2021, the vestry of Saint Peter’s Memorial Episcopal Church authorized the placement of a statue of Clara Barton at the Clara Barton Street entrance to Church Park, and designated the Clara Barton Statue Committee, composed of the church wardens and other community leaders and chaired by mayor Barry O. Haywood, as project supervisors.

The plan is to install a slightly-larger-than life-size bronze statue atop a stone pedestal approximately 36” high. The sidewalk and surrounding landscaping will be adapted to enhance the statue as a focal point, draw the eye to Clara Barton, draw the visitor into the park, and draw the mind into the legacy of this iconic woman.

Support the Clara Barton Statue Campaign with a tax-deductible gift.

The project is estimated to cost more than $100,000, which includes the bronze ($30,000), the sculptor, site preparation, and landscaping. Two-thirds of this has already been raised through the initial fundraising campaign. The sculptor is at work and site design is underway. We hope to complete installation in 2024.

You can contribute online by clicking “Donate” and selecting “Clara Barton Statue” from the drop-down menu.

Please consider clicking the box to “tip” to offset the processing fee.

You can also send a check payable to Saint Peter’s Memorial Church, PO Box 127, Dansville, NY 14437.

Be sure to write “Clara Barton Statue” in the memo line.