Douglass Monument

Lucas Douglass died on the cold night of December 5, 1895, a seventy-year -old man without friends, family, or money. He died in utter poverty, penniless, alone… until someone discovered his will. He left thousands of dollars behind and asked that they be spent to build a monument to – HIMSELF. It was to be thirty-four feet high, made of Italian marble. It was to include a headstone, carved urns, and a 140-foot stone wall around the entire plot. The monument includes Douglass’ portrait and an epitaph: “I have heard Thy call.”

Mr. Douglass was certainly overlooked in life, but the paradox is that his monument is visited by hundreds of tourists, or curiosity hunters – we don’t know. We also don’t know much more about Lucas Douglass, but we can guess that he was tired of anonymity and craved attention. He got it in his own death and by his own design.