Interior restoration project of Pilgrim Monument is underway

According to The Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum (PMPM), a five-month restoration project of the interior of the Pilgrim Monument is underway that will restore and renovate the national historic structure that has welcomed more than 10 million visitors since its dedication in 1910. The renovation project is being managed by Coastal Engineering Inc. of Orleans in conjunction with Fibrwrap Construction Services Inc., based regionally in Chantilly, Va. "The Pilgrim Monument has been a beacon to visitors, tourists and sailors alike for the past 100-plus years. The Monument has had lots of foot traffic over the years, so now is its time for repair, renovation and some TLC," said John McDonagh, executive director of the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum. "Our beloved national and local treasure needs to be at its best since it commemorates such a significant and seminal event in American history." The Pilgrim Monument commemorates the first landing of the Mayflower Pilgrims in 1620 in Provincetown Harbor where they wrote and signed the Mayflower Compact, the first written declaration of a democratic commonwealth. The Pilgrim Monument is 252 ft. 7.5 in. tall and rises 353 ft. above sea level. It is the tallest all granite structure in the U.S. and includes 60 ramps and 166 steps. The Monument is designed to resemble Torre Del Mangia, a 14th century tower in Siena, Italy and is of the Italian Renaissance order of architecture. It is built of granite from Stonington, Me. The Monument renovation will strengthen the interior structure through the use of state-of-the-art advanced fiber technology used in aerospace and large bridge repair projects. The work will be undertaken in five stages and is on track to be completed by mid-April 2012. "Coastal Engineering is honored to help preserve this historical and cultural gem by ensuring that the Pilgrim Monument is safe and structurally sound for all who visit the Monument each year. We hope our efforts will match in some measure the faith and dedication of our forefathers to whom this monument is dedicated as they set the course of history at the birth of our nation," said John Bologna, PE, president and CEO of Coastal Engineering Co. Inc., Orleans. "Restoration and repair is a vital component of ensuring the structural integrity of any monument or building. Renovation of this national treasure is of the utmost importance and we are thrilled to be involved in the project," said Mike Travis, New England business development manager of Fibrwrap Construction.