Confederate Monument (Murray, Kentucky) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Confederate Monument in Murray
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| Location | Jct. of KY 94 and Ky 121, Murray, Kentucky |
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| Built | 1917 |
| Architect | Mcneil Marble Co., Marietta, GA |
| MPS | Civil War Monuments of Kentucky MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 97000711 |
| Added to NRHP | July 17, 1997 |
The Confederate Monument in Murray is a special statue. You can find it in Murray, Kentucky. It stands on the grounds of the Calloway County Courthouse. This monument honors the people from Calloway County who fought in the Confederate Army. This was during the American Civil War.
The monument is also one of a few in Kentucky that features a statue of Robert E. Lee. There have been discussions about where the statue should be located. However, local leaders decided in July 2020 to keep it on the courthouse grounds.
Building the Monument
During the American Civil War, about 800 people from Calloway County joined the Confederate Army. Over 200 others from the county joined the Union Army. At that time, about 1,500 enslaved people lived in Calloway County. This was about 15% of the county's total population.
A group called the United Daughters of the Confederacy (U.D.C.) helped pay for the monument. They worked for three years to raise money. The U.D.C. paid $2,500 to the McNeel Monument Company. This company was located in Marietta, Georgia. The monument was finished in 1917. The name of the U.D.C. chairman, who passed away during the fundraising, was added to the monument to honor her.
What the Monument Looks Like
The monument is about 16.5 feet (5 meters) tall. It has three main parts. The bottom part used to be a working drinking fountain made of porcelain. You could step on a pedal to get water. This fountain was very modern for its time. It was one of only a few Civil War monuments in Kentucky that included a working fountain. Other similar fountains are in Mayfield, Hopkinsville, and Cadiz.
Four tall columns stand above the fountain. These columns are about 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall. They are called Doric columns. They hold up a granite roof, which is called a canopy. Inside the canopy, there is a fancy iron light fixture. It has four light bulbs to shine on the fountain.
On top of the canopy, there are four marble balls. Above these balls is a 5.5-foot (1.7-meter) tall marble statue of Robert E. Lee. This makes it the only monument in Kentucky that strongly features a statue of Lee. Another monument in Bardstown, Kentucky has a small picture of Lee. But it is not a large statue like this one.
On July 17, 1997, the Confederate Monument in Murray became very important. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes many important historical sites. The monument was part of a group of 61 monuments related to the Civil War in Kentucky.
Gallery
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Front view of the monument.
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The monument with the courthouse in the background.
