Statue of John Bridge
The John Bridge Monument (also known as The Puritan), in the northeast corner of the Cambridge Common in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was given by Samuel James Bridge in honor of his ancestor John Bridge (15781665) and sculpted by Thomas R. Gould. Description The statue weighs 1800 pounds. The figure is about nine feet and so is the pedestal. The front of the statue's plinth reads: The other three faces read: The Life of John Bridge John Bridge was born in Essex County, England in 1578. He came to Cambridge in the 1630s in conjunction with the Braintree Company. John Bridge apparently helped to convince Thomas Shepard to come to Massachusetts. When some colonists led by Thomas Hooker left Cambridge for Connecticut, Bridge remained. He served as a selectman for multiple terms, and helped to supervise the local school. He died in 1665, and was buried in Harvard Square. Prior to donating the statue of his ancestor, Samuel J. Bridge added memorial stones over John Bridge's burial place on July 4, 1876. History of the Monument The statue was dedicated on Nov. 28, 1882. It was donated by Samuel J. Bridge. It was sculpted by Thomas R. Gould and, after he died