Signers Monument facts for kids
The Signers Monument is a tall stone pillar, called an obelisk, found in Augusta, Georgia. It's made of granite. This special monument honors three important people from Georgia: George Walton, Lyman Hall, and Button Gwinnett. They were the ones who signed the United States Declaration of Independence for Georgia.
What the Monument Looks Like
This monument stands on Greene Street in Augusta. It's right in front of a building that used to be the City Hall back in 1848. The monument is a tall, pointed stone pillar. It's about 12 feet wide at the bottom and reaches 50 feet high.
It used to have a strong iron fence around it. On one side, there's a marble slab. This slab has the Georgia state symbol carved into it. Below the symbol, you can see the names of the three signers: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, and George Walton. Robert French designed this monument, and it was officially opened in 1848.
Reburying the Signers
When the monument was built, people wanted to do something special. They planned to bury the remains of these important Founding Fathers right under the monument. A group was chosen to find their graves and move their bones.
Finding Lyman Hall's grave was not too hard. His tomb was clearly marked on his farm in Burke County. His remains were easy to identify.
However, finding George Walton's grave was more difficult. Some older local people remembered where it was. But there was no stone marking the exact spot on his family's land, called Rosney, about nine miles from Augusta. After a careful search, they found his grave. They even saw a sign on his leg bone. It showed where he was shot during a battle in 1778. He was captured by the British when they took Savannah.
The remains of Lyman Hall and George Walton were moved. They were then reburied in the ground beneath the new monument.
It was impossible to find the bones of Button Gwinnett. He had died in Savannah in 1777. People thought he was buried in an old cemetery there. But no gravestone could be found. Also, no one was alive who could point out his unmarked grave.
The Dedication Ceremony
The monument was officially opened on July 4, 1848. This was a special ceremony. Judge William T. Gould gave a speech. The Masonic group also held a ceremony. This part was led by the Honorable William C. Dawson. He was the Grand Master of the Georgia lodge.
Button Gwinnett was born in England. Lyman Hall was from Connecticut. George Walton was born in Virginia. But Georgia is proud to call them her adopted sons. The city of Augusta built this monument to show its thanks. It honors their important work for Georgia's freedom.
