Elmira sculptor's statue of 'Ragtime' author E.L. Doctorow to be unveiled in New Rochelle

NEW ROCHELLE — The city that E.L. Doctorow called home for decades, which he captured in its era of tumultuous change in his novel "Ragtime," will honor the celebrated author with the unveiling of a life-size bronze statue in front of New Rochelle High School at noon Sunday.

The 1,500-lb. bronze, by Elmira-based sculptor Derek Chalfant, stands on a limestone base behind stacks of Doctorow's works including "The Book of Daniel," "Billy Bathgate" and, of course, "Ragtime." Chalfant used Doctorow's clothes, given to him by the writer's widow, to create his likeness.

Doctorow, who died at 84 in 2015, lived on Broadview Avenue for years and opened his epic 1974 novel "Ragtime" with words inspired by the home.

"In 1902 Father built a house at the crest of the Broadview Avenue hill in New Rochelle, New York. ... The family took possession of this stout manse on a sunny day in June and it seemed for some years thereafter that all their days would be warm and fair."

Doctorow won the National Book Critics Circle Award three times, for "Ragtime," "Billy Bathgate" and "The March." "Ragtime" was named one of Modern Library's 100 Best Books of the 20th Century. It was turned into a 1981 film and a Broadway musical.

From our archives: Author E.L. Doctorow, longtime New Rochelle resident, dies at 84

City historian Barbara Davis said it's important to note Doctorow's contribution and legacy to the city he called home.

"It says that this community values authors and their creative genius," Davis said.

She'll conduct half-hour trolley tours of Doctorow's New Rochelle on Sunday, starting at 10 a.m. near the high school's tennis courts. Though the author published "Ragtime" in 1974, Davis said many of the locations Doctorow featured are unchanged and will be on the tour.

At noon, a ceremony will mark the statue's dedication, at Huguenot Park on North Avenue, in front of the high school, not far from the bronze statue of Huguenot settler Jacob Leisler that has stood at the base of Broadview Avenue since 1913. Doctorow mentioned the Leisler statue in "Ragtime," calling it "some fierce-looking Dutch governor with a cape."

From our archives: A tour of Doctorow's u0022Ragtimeu0022 New Rochelle, with the cast of Broadway's u0022Ragtimeu0022

The ceremony will be followed by a Ragtime Jazz Brunch fundraiser at 12:30 p.m. at Wykagyl Country Club, with sculptor Chalfant and Doctorow family members attending, entertained by pianist Adam Kent playing ragtime songs. Tickets for the fundraiser are $125 and $250 and are available at www.newrochellearts.org.The Doctorow statue has been years in the making, under the guidance of a Doctorow Legacy Initiative committee appointed by Mayor Noam Bramson. The committee included the author's widow, Helen Doctorow, historian Davis, and members of the New Rochelle Council on the Arts, and the New Rochelle Fund for Educational Excellence.

Marking a legacy

Chalfant's sculpture was funded by Doctorow's literary agent, publisher and family friends, boosted by a $125,000 New York State grant secured by Assembly Member Amy Paulin.

Cities, towns and villages find ways to honor their celebrated residents and New Rochelle is no exception.

"There was always a feeling that some of the more beloved and nationally known figures possibly needed something else, so that they would always be remembered and their legacy would live on in New Rochelle," Davis said.

Actor Ossie Davis has a theater named for him at the city's library. His wife, Ruby Dee, an avid gardener, has a nearby park named for her. Come Sunday, Doctorow will have a statue.

Davis prefers those demonstrations of civic pride to the renaming of streets.

"I don't find that totally satisfactory, because it gets lost," Davis said. "Who would ever think that Memorial Highway was honorarily named Norman Rockwell Way? But it was."

Going

What: The dedication of a bronze statue to E.L. Doctorow

When: Noon, Oct. 22.

Where: Huguenot Park, North Avenue between Eastchester Road and Forest Avenue, in front of New Rochelle High School.

Also: Half-hour trolley tours of Doctorow's New Rochelle will leave from the parking lot at the high school tennis courts starting at 10 a.m. A Ragtime Jazz Brunch fundraiser begins at 12:30 p.m. at Wykagyl Country Club. Tickets are $125 and $250 and are available at www.newrochellearts.org.

Reach Peter D. Kramer at pkramer@gannett.com. To support this kind of journalism, subscribe at www.lohud.com/subscribe.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Elmira sculptor crafts tribute to writer E.L. Doctorow in New Rochelle