Confederate Soldier Memorial (Huntsville, Alabama) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Confederate Soldier Memorial |
|
|---|---|
| Confederate Monument | |
The memorial in 2010
|
|
| Year | 1905 |
| Location | Huntsville, Alabama, U.S. |
| 34°43′52″N 86°34′17″W / 34.73102°N 86.57129°W | |
The Confederate Soldier Memorial, also known as the Confederate Monument, is a statue located in Huntsville, Alabama. It was first placed in the city center. This memorial honors soldiers who fought for the Confederacy during the American Civil War. Today, it stands in the Maple Hill Cemetery.
Contents
About the Memorial
The Confederate Soldier Memorial features a granite statue of a soldier. This soldier is shown holding a rifle. The statue is life-sized, meaning it's as big as a real person.
The base of the statue has words carved into it. These words praise the "noble cause" of the Confederacy. They also remember soldiers who died fighting for it. One person mentioned is General John Hunt Morgan, a local from Huntsville.
A Look at Its History
How It Was Built
The memorial was put up in 1905. It was created by a group called the United Daughters of the Confederacy. This group works to remember and honor Confederate soldiers.
Moving and Rebuilding
In 1966, the courthouse next to the memorial was torn down. This was done to build a new courthouse. The memorial was moved across the street. It was placed on its side near old buildings that were also being removed.
During this time, the soldier statue was accidentally crushed. A falling wall caused the damage. However, the base of the statue was not harmed. The Daughters of the Confederacy took legal action against the demolition company. They won their case and used the money to build a new statue.
In 1968, the newly rebuilt statue was put back in its original spot.
Recent Discussions and Relocation
In June 2020, people protested near the monument. This happened during a time of widespread public discussions about historical monuments. On June 10, 2020, the Madison County Commission voted. They wanted to move the monument to the Maple Hill Cemetery.
However, a state committee said they could not approve this move. This is because of the 2017 Alabama Memorial Preservation Act. This law says counties need permission to move historical markers that are 20 to 40 years old. But it does not have a process for markers older than 40 years, like this one. If the county moved the memorial without state permission, they would have to pay a $25,000 fine.
Despite these challenges, the monument was moved. It was taken from the Courthouse Square on the night of October 22 or early morning of October 23, 2020. It was then placed in the Maple Hill Cemetery. This part of the cemetery also has graves of Confederate soldiers.
