Roger Conant Statue

• This bronze statue of the founder of the city of Salem sits next to the Salem Common at the intersection of Brown St. and Washington Square and was erected in 1913. It was fashioned by sculptor Henry Kitson on behalf of the Conant Family Association. Kitson also sculpted the Minuteman on Lexington Green. The large stone he stands on was shipped to Salem from Lynn. As no image of Roger Conant has survived, Kitson fashioned a Puritan male figure, with broad-rimmed hat and a flowing cape who is grasping the trunk of an oak tree. Conant left a strong legacy in Salem and was known as the "Old Planter."
• The statue was restored in 2005 after a successful local campaign to raise money to clean the bronze statue of its stains from acid rain and pollution. The $30,000 restoration was done by Rika Smith McNally. The group involved with fund-raising was the Salem Common Neighborhood Association.

See Also

• "Statue in honor of Salem's first settler, Roger Conant is dedicated and unveiled." Salem Evening News, June 18, 1913.
• "Green with envy? Statue given makeover." Salem News, May 27, 2005. p1
• "Taking a shine to county's first settler" Boston Sunday Globe, June 12, 2005. Globe North, p.1
• Vertical File in Salem Collection - Conant, Roger