People often give voice to their identity by constructing public monuments which express pride in past achievements and signal future hopes and intentions. This urge towards self-definition was especially marked in St. John’s at the turn of the century…Public buildings, memorial crosses, a flag, a national anthem, a trans-island railway, and modernized harbours expressed a complementary self-awareness. Their creators wished to present themselves as confident, progressive, and modern yet solid, responsible, and alert to the debt preceding generations. Illustrations throughout.