Hagerstown unveils sculpture of Clara Barton along cultural trail

HAGERSTOWN, Md. ( DC News Now ) — A special battlefield hero was honored in Hagerstown on Tuesday.

Clara Barton, a legend from the Civil War era, was saluted on the city’s cultural trail with a sculpture of her that a local artist created.

A Massachusetts native, Barton came to work at Union Station at the outbreak of the Civil War. From there, she volunteered to treat battlefield casualties in Harpers Ferry and Antietam, just south of Hagerstown. She came to the aid of both Union and Confederate soldiers.

After the war, Barton became president of the American Red Cross.

“The mission and values Clara Barton had, her vision for the Red Cross, the history of it and where it all started was her foundation,” said Dr. Lou Bartello, president of the Maryland Nurses Association.

Barton was known for providing food, clothing and supplies for soldiers.

“She’s a role model for us,” said Barbara Biedrcycki with the Maryland Nurses Association. “She is our hero and and angel on the battlefield and, as you know, nurses care for people who are in need. … We’re carrying on her tradition.”

In 1973 Barton was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. She died in Glen Echo, Maryland in 1912. In 1973 she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame.

The sculpture unveiled on the Hagerstown Cultural Trail today is the work of local artist Toby Mendez.

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