Architectural feature of the Garden of Freedom at Pinelawn Memorial Park, Farmingdale, New York, 1985. Photographed in September 2000.
Originally, the owners of Pinelawn Memorial Park wanted The Garden of Freedom to feature Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. Ismar David&squo;s first model for the architectural centerpiece of the area had 6 panels on the inside, featuring the text of the speech and included, several rough-hewn abstract figures, standing between the columns. The figures were rejected and the text was changed to the Declaration of Independence.
A series of sheets with a small scale rendering of the lettering, including larger details of how the incised letterforms might take shape, remain.