Dauphin County Veteran's Memorial Obelisk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Obelisk
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Neighborhood of Harrisburg
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| Country |  United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Dauphin County |
| City | Harrisburg |
| Area code(s) | Area code 717 |
The Dauphin County Veteran's Memorial Obelisk is a tall, impressive monument in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It was built to look like the ancient obelisks from Rome and Egypt. This monument honors soldiers from Dauphin County who fought in the American Civil War. They gave their lives to help keep the United States together between 1861 and 1865.
The obelisk stands 110 feet (about 33.5 meters) high. It weighs more than 600 tons. The stone for the monument came from the banks of the nearby Susquehanna River. A special stone plaque on the obelisk says: "To the soldiers of Dauphin County who gave their lives for the life of the Union in the suppression of the rebellion 1861-1865. Erected by their fellow citizens."
The monument was first put up in a park in downtown Harrisburg. This was at the corner of North Second and State Streets. Over time, the area around the park changed. The monument also started to get damaged by cars and weather. So, in 1960, a decision was made to move it. The obelisk was carefully cleaned and then moved to its current spot. You can find it now at Third and Division streets. This location is in the Uptown part of Harrisburg, near William Penn High School and Italian Lake.
Images for kids
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The obelisk's original location as seen from State Street in 1909
