Ladies' Confederate Memorial facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Ladies' Confederate Memorial, The
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| Location | Lexington, Kentucky |
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| Built | 1874 |
| Architect | George W. Ranck, Muldoon Monument Company, Louisville |
| MPS | Civil War Monuments of Kentucky MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 97000706 |
| Added to NRHP | July 17, 1997 |
The Ladies' Confederate Memorial is a special monument built in 1874. You can find it in the Lexington Cemetery in Lexington, Kentucky. This memorial is different from many others from the American Civil War. Instead of celebrating war, it shows sadness and loss. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 17, 1997. This means it's an important historical site.
Contents
How the Memorial Was Built
The idea for this memorial came from Mary Cyrene Burch Breckinridge. She was the wife of a famous politician, John C. Breckinridge. On May 26, 1869, she saw another monument in Cynthiana, Kentucky. This inspired her to start the Ladies Memorial and Monument Association.
This group worked hard to raise money for six years. They wanted to create a special place to remember those who died. Finally, the memorial was ready. It was officially dedicated on May 26, 1875.
What Does the Memorial Look Like?
The Ladies' Confederate Memorial is made of beautiful marble. It features a cross that looks like it's made from logs. You can also see symbols of a broken sword and a broken flagstaff. These symbols represent the end of the war and the sadness it brought.
The monument also has delicate lilies carved into it. The base of the memorial is made of rugged limestone. It looks like natural rocks. George W. Ranck, a historian from Lexington, designed this unique monument. The marble cross was made all the way in Italy. The base was created by the Muldoon Monument Company in Louisville. A newspaper called it "probably the most perfect thing of its kind in the South."
The Poem That Inspired It
Many people believe that a poem helped inspire this memorial. The poem was written by Abram Joseph Ryan. He was a chaplain for the Confederate soldiers. His words often spoke about the pain and loss of war.
Here are some lines from his poem:
Take that banner down! 'tis tattered;
Broken is its staff and shattered,
Over whom it floated high.
And the valiant hosts are scattered
These lines show a feeling of defeat and sorrow. They fit the memorial's message of grief. The Confederate Soldier Monument in Lexington is also very close by. Both monuments are part of the important Civil War Monuments of Kentucky.
Gallery
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A close-up view of the memorial.
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Another view of the monument.
