GAR Monument in Covington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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GAR Monument in Covington
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North side of monument
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| Location | Covington, Kentucky |
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| Built | 1929 |
| MPS | Civil War Monuments of Kentucky MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 97000684 |
| Added to NRHP | July 17, 1997 |
The Grand Army of the Republic Monument is a special memorial located in Linden Grove Cemetery in Covington, Kentucky. It was built in 1929 to honor the brave soldiers who fought for the Union Army during the American Civil War. This monument was created by a group called the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), specifically the O. P. Sine of Garfield Post No. 2. The GAR was an organization made up of veterans who had served in the Union Army.
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A Unique Civil War Memorial
This monument is quite special for a few reasons. It was the second memorial built by the Grand Army of the Republic in the state of Kentucky. The first one was the Colored Soldiers Monument in Frankfort, located in Kentucky's capital city, Frankfort, Kentucky.
Location and Design
Most GAR monuments are usually found in public squares, like courthouse grounds. However, both GAR monuments in Kentucky, including this one in Covington, are located in cemeteries. This is a bit unusual for these types of memorials.
The Covington monument was built later than most other Civil War memorials. By 1929, the main period for building such monuments had mostly ended. This monument is also unique because it is the only one related to the Civil War in Kentucky that is shaped like a sarcophagus. A sarcophagus is a stone coffin, often used in ancient times.
The monument is made of concrete and was originally painted white. It measures about three feet high, three feet wide, and ten feet long.
Honoring Union Soldiers
During the Civil War, Kentucky was a border state, meaning it had people who supported both the Union and the Confederacy. Many monuments in Kentucky were built to honor Confederate soldiers and their memories.
However, the Grand Army of the Republic Monument in Covington is different. It specifically honors Union soldiers. Even after the war, during a time called Reconstruction, Kenton County, Kentucky, where Covington is located, remained strongly supportive of the Union. This strong pro-Union feeling is why the Grand Army of the Republic chose Covington for this important monument.
National Recognition
On July 17, 1997, the Grand Army of the Republic Monument received a special honor. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of places, buildings, and structures that are important in American history.
The monument was one of sixty different Civil War memorials in Kentucky to be placed on this list at the same time. These monuments were recognized as part of the Civil War Monuments of Kentucky Multiple Property Submission. This means they were all nominated together because they share a common historical theme.
The Grand Army of the Republic Monument is also located very close to another important memorial, the Veteran's Monument in Covington. The Veteran's Monument was also added to the National Register of Historic Places at the same time, but it was built four years after the GAR Monument.
