Jefferson Davis State Historic Site facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jefferson Davis Monument
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Northern View
Location in Kentucky Show map of Kentucky Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Fairview, Kentucky
Built	1917–1924
Architect	S.F. Crecelius, Sr. Engineer; G.R. Gregg, Contractor
NRHP reference No.	73000849
Added to NRHP	May 9, 1973

The Jefferson Davis Monument State Historic Site is a Kentucky state park. It honors the birthplace of Jefferson Davis. He was the president of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. This park is located in Fairview, Kentucky.

The main feature of the park is a tall concrete obelisk. An obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument. It ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top. This one is 351-foot (107.0 m) tall. In 1973, people thought it was the fourth-tallest monument in the United States. It was also believed to be the tallest made of concrete.

Building the Monument

The idea for a monument to Jefferson Davis came from Simon Bolivar Buckner, Sr.. He was a Confederate general. He suggested it in 1907 during a meeting of Confederate soldiers.

Work on the monument started in 1917. However, it stopped in 1918 because of World War I. Building materials were hard to get. At that time, the monument was 175 feet (53 m) tall.

Construction began again in January 1922. It was finished in 1924. The whole project cost $200,000. The monument's base sits on strong limestone rock. Limestone from the area was used to build it.

The concrete walls are 8.5 feet (2.6 m) thick at the bottom. They get thinner towards the top, reaching 2.5 feet (0.76 m) thick. In 1973, the monument was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes important historical places.

The monument was closed for repairs from 1999 to May 2004. A new visitor center was also built then.

At the very top of the monument, there is a room for viewing. It has a window on each of its four sides. When it was first built, you had to climb stairs to reach this room. In 1929, an elevator was added. Now, visitors can ride the elevator up and down.

What You Can Do at the Park

The Jefferson Davis State Historic Site is one of eleven historic sites in Kentucky. The Kentucky Department of Parks takes care of these sites. The park covers 19 acres (7.7 ha) of land. It has places for picnics, both open and covered. There is also a playground for kids.

At the visitors' center museum, you can watch a video. It tells the story of Jefferson Davis's life. It also shows how the monument was built. You can take guided elevator tours of the monument every day.

The center also sells books and souvenirs. These items are about Davis, the American Civil War, and the local area. You can also find Kentucky handmade crafts there. The park is open from May 1st to October 31st each year.

How Tall is the Monument?

This monument is the tallest concrete structure in the world that doesn't use steel for support. No steel was used to make the concrete walls stronger below its pyramid-shaped top. As one layer of concrete was poured, large pieces of limestone were left sticking out. These pieces connected it to the next layer above. It is also the tallest concrete obelisk in the world.

It is the fifth tallest monument in the United States. Here are some other tall monuments:

• The Gateway Arch is 630 feet (190 m) tall.
• The San Jacinto Monument is 567 feet (173 m) tall.
• The Washington Monument is 555 feet (169 m) tall.
• The Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial is 352 feet (107 m) tall.

The Crazy Horse Memorial is still being built. It is planned to be 563 feet (172 m) tall. Around the world, other monuments are even taller. These include the Great Pyramid of Giza, Khafre's Pyramid, Spring Temple Buddha, and Ushiku Daibutsu.

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