John Hunt Morgan Memorial facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Morgan, John Hunt, Memorial
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| Location | Lexington, Kentucky |
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| Built | 1911 |
| Architect | Pompeo Coppini |
| MPS | Civil War Monuments of Kentucky MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 97000704 |
| Added to NRHP | July 17, 1997 |
The John Hunt Morgan Memorial in Lexington, Kentucky, is a monument built to honor John Hunt Morgan. He was a general for the Southern states during the American Civil War. Morgan was from Lexington and is buried in the Lexington Cemetery.
This monument was created during a time called the Jim Crow era. This was a period when laws in some parts of the United States separated people based on their race. The monument was first placed on the Courthouse Lawn in Lexington. In 2018, it was moved to the Lexington Cemetery.
Building the Monument
The United Daughters of the Confederacy helped build this monument. They worked with the state government of Kentucky. The monument was officially opened on October 18, 1911.
The bronze statue was made in Brooklyn, New York. It cost $15,000 to create. The state of Kentucky paid half of the cost, which was $7,500. This was because the United Daughters of the Confederacy could not raise all the money themselves.
The opening ceremony was a big event. About 400 veterans marched in a parade. The statue stands on a base made of granite. Morgan's brother-in-law, Basil W. Duke, led the dedication ceremony. Dr. Guy Carleton Lee, a distant cousin of Robert E. Lee, was the main speaker.
Among all the monuments from the American Civil War in Kentucky, this one is special. It is the only one that shows a soldier riding a horse.
The John Hunt Morgan Memorial is recognized as an important historical site. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 17, 1997. On the same day, 60 other Civil War sites in Kentucky were also added. Three other monuments in Lexington were listed too. These include the John C. Breckinridge Memorial, the Confederate Soldier Monument in Lexington, and the Ladies' Confederate Memorial. The last two are also located in the nearby Lexington Cemetery.
Moving the Memorial
In November 2015, a group called the Urban County Arts Review Board suggested moving the Morgan and Breckinridge memorials. People in the community also pushed for the monuments to be moved.
Because of this, Mayor Jim Gray announced plans to move the memorials. They were moved on October 17, 2017. By July 2018, both the Morgan and Breckinridge memorials were placed in the Lexington Cemetery. This is where both John Hunt Morgan and John C. Breckinridge are buried.
