DETROIT – One of the earliest monuments constructed to honor Civil War veterans in the country is in Detroit.
In 1865, the year the war ended, Michigan Gov. Austin Blair began collecting funds to finance a memorial for Michiganders who fought and died in the Civil War.
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The Michigan Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument, located in Campus Martius, was officially unveiled April 9, 1872. The monument, now 153 years old, has outlived every single building at Campus Martius -- and most buildings in Detroit.
Construction began on Independence Day, 1867, in Grand Circus Park. During construction, the city decided to move the monument to Campus Martius, where it would stand in front of City Hall.
Standing 60 feet tall, the monument is structured in four tiers, each with distinct ornamentation. The lower sections feature eagles with raised wings, while the midsections are adorned with figures representing the Navy, Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery branches of the U.S. Army. Above them, four figures symbolize Victory, History, Emancipation and Union.
The top of the monument is a nearly 4,000-pound statue meant to represent Michigan. The state is presented as a Native American queen wearing a helmet and holding a sword and a shield.
The monument was moved 125 feet south when Campus Martius was renovated in 2003 and was rededicated in 2005.
