General Beauregard Equestrian Statue facts for kids
The General Beauregard Equestrian Statue was a monument in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It honored P. G. T. Beauregard, who was a general during the American Civil War. The statue showed him riding a horse. It was created by a famous American sculptor named Alexander Doyle and was officially shown to the public in 1915.
The statue stood at a main entrance to City Park, at the corner of Carrollton Avenue and Esplanade Avenue. This spot was known as Beauregard Circle. The statue was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 18, 1999, which means it was recognized as an important historical site.
Quick facts for kids |
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Beauregard, Gen., Equestrian Statue
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The statue in 2008
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 Location in East New Orleans
Location in Louisiana
Location in the United States
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| Location | Jct. of Esplanade Ave. and Wisner Blvd., New Orleans, Louisiana |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1913 |
| NRHP reference No. | 99000233 |
| Added to NRHP | February 18, 1999 |
About the Beauregard Statue
The statue was a large bronze sculpture showing General P. G. T. Beauregard on horseback. It was placed in a public park in New Orleans. Monuments like this are built to remember important people or events. This statue honored a general who fought for the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War (1861-1865).
The statue was unveiled in 1915. It was a significant landmark in the city for many years. People would often see it when entering City Park.
Why the Statue Was Removed
In 2015, there was a lot of discussion in New Orleans about monuments related to the Confederacy. This discussion became more important after a tragic event in Charleston, South Carolina. The mayor of New Orleans, Mitch Landrieu, spoke with community leaders. He then suggested that several Confederate monuments in the city should be taken down.
Two city groups agreed with the mayor's idea. They voted to remove four monuments. These included statues of Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, and General Beauregard. Another monument, an obelisk, was also on the list. Some people, like Governor Bobby Jindal, did not agree with removing the statues.
On December 17, 2015, the New Orleans City Council voted to remove the General Beauregard Statue and the other three monuments. The vote was 6 to 1 in favor of removal. The mayor announced that the statues would be taken down soon.
The process of removing the Beauregard statue started on May 16, 2017. It was finished the next day, on May 17, 2017.
A Time Capsule Discovery
After the statue was removed, its base, called a pedestal, stayed in place for a while. On July 25, 2018, when the pedestal was also being removed, a special box was found. This box was a time capsule.
The time capsule was opened on August 3, 2018. Inside, people found items related to the Confederacy. These included old photos of Confederate General Robert E. Lee and Confederate President Jefferson Davis. There were also flags, old money, medals, ribbons, and other paper items from that time. Officials said the copper box was placed inside the statue's pedestal on November 14, 1913. This was about a year before the statue itself was put up.
