Peace Monument (Atlanta) facts for kids
Peace Monument (2020)
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| Coordinates | 33°47′11″N 84°22′39″W / 33.78649°N 84.37746°WCoordinates: 33°47′11″N 84°22′39″W / 33.78649°N 84.37746°W |
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| Location | Piedmont Park, Atlanta, Georgia, United States |
| Designer | Allen George Newman |
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The Peace Monument (also known as The Triumph of Peace) is a public monument in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Designed by Allen George Newman, the monument is located in Piedmont Park and was erected in 1911 by members of the Old Guard of the Gate City Guard, a Confederate-era militia, as a show of national unity in the years following the American Civil War. The monument has been the subject of controversy recently, with some calling for its removal as a symbol of the Lost Cause of the Confederacy.
History
Old Guard and the peace monument
In 1857, the Gate City Guard, an Atlanta-based militia, was officially chartered. The group had first been formed in 1854 for the purpose of maintaining law and order in Atlanta, which was nicknamed the "Gate City." During the American Civil War, the militia provided troops for the Confederate States Army, but was disbanded following the end of the war. However, the militia was reconstituted during the Reconstruction era as part of what would later become the Georgia National Guard. Around the same time, the Old Guard Battalion of the Gate City Guard was formed, consisting of former Gate City Guard members who were too old to serve on active duty. This group traveled extensively throughout the United States as part of a mission to improve reconciliation between northern states and southern states following the war.
In 1910, as part of their ongoing efforts to promote reconciliation, the Old Guard decided to erect a monument in Piedmont Park. The following year, the Old Guard commissioned New York City-based sculptor Allen George Newman. The dedication was held on October 11, 1911, attracting over 50,000 visitors. Notable attendees and groups in attendance included the Old Guard State Fencibles, the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts, and Mayor of Baltimore James H. Preston. A parade was held down Peachtree Street that ended at the park.
Design
The monument features the "angel of peace", holding an olive branch, standing over a Confederate soldier who has a gun in his hands, telling the soldier that peace has been proclaimed.
