Most of us in the Capital Region have visited or at least driven by Washington Park in Albany and I know you have seen the statue of Moses. Have you ever wondered why Moses is in Albany?

That spectacular statue sitting in the heart of Washington Park is a tribute from a son to his dad, the former President of the Albany Savings Bank in Albany.

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According to All Over Albany, a man named Henry King wanted to pay tribute to his dad Rufus Henry King, President of the Albany Savings Bank. Henry admired his dad for many reasons but the thing that impressed him most was, through banking, his father was able to gave the people of the Capital Region the chance to succeed in life.

On Henry's deathbed, at age 53, he left $20K to use in a public memorial to his father. Washington Park was selected as the the place and the statue of Moses is the memorial, which was to commemorate the Rock of Horeb.

Washington Park - Karolyi
Washington Park - Karolyi
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The Moses statue was modeled from a Hungarian man about fifty years old. As for the remaining figures surrounding Moses. One represents youth, another infancy, manhood, and old age. Each of them are there to get some of that water coming out of the rocks.

Washington Park - Albany Photo - Karolyi
Washington Park - Albany
Photo - Karolyi
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So, why was Moses chosen for this tribute? According to the Bible, when Moses struck the rock and water began to flow, the people of the town and their livestock were able to drink and survive. Henry felt this symbolized his father's work in Albany.

Photo Karolyi
Photo Karolyi
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Sometimes we see statues, buildings and parks but don't take the time to ask, for example, why is there a statue of Moses in Washington Park? Now you know.

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