G.A.R. Soldier's Monument, Grandview Cemetery - Fort Collins, CO - American Civil War Monuments and Memorials on Waymarking.com

The obverse of the monument reads:

[Stars and stripes logo]
Dedicated to
G.A.R. BY W.R.C.
May 30, 1905
[crossed sabers]

The reverse of the monument reads:

In Memory Of
the Known and
Unknown Dead

"Since 1887, many members of Post No. 7 as well as veterans of the Spanish-American War, both World Wars, and the Korean War have been laid to rest in this area. Standing in the center of this section is a life-size figure of a Union Civil War soldier at parade rest. Including a six-foot base, the 12-foot Soldier's Monument stands facing east as a tribute of patriotism from members of the Women's Relief Corp. of the George H. Thomas Post No. 7. The granite memorial was erected in 1905 at a cost of about $1,250.

The Soldier's Monument was "protected" by four towering silver spruce trees for many years until one had to be removed due to damage in a windstorm. The Granddaughters of the American Revolution donated two Civil War cannons; both dated in the 1860's, for placement in front of the memorial. Vandals destroyed one of the cannons in 1972. The other was donated to the Fort Collins Museum in 1986.

A one-half acre plat (Section S) was set aside and dedicated to the uses of George H. Thomas/Post No. 7/Grand Army of the Republic, Soldiers' Monument at Grandview Cemetery which also included the remains of soldiers buried at the Post Cemetery." (from (visit link) )

"On May 5, 1868, in his capacity as commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, the veterans' organization for Union Civil War veterans, General John A. Logan issued a proclamation calling for "Decoration Day" to be observed annually and nationwide. It was observed for the first time that year on May 30; the date was chosen because it was not the anniversary of any particular battle. According to the White House, the May 30 date was chosen as the optimal date for flowers to be in bloom.

Memorial events were held in 183 cemeteries in 27 states in 1868, and 336 in 1869. The northern states quickly adopted the holiday. Michigan made "Decoration Day" an official state holiday in 1871 and by 1890, every northern state had followed suit. The ceremonies were sponsored by the Women's Relief Corps, the women's auxiliary of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), which had 100,000 members. By 1870, the remains of nearly 300,000 Union dead had been reinterred in 73 national cemeteries, located near major battlefields and thus mainly in the South. The most famous are Gettysburg National Cemetery in Pennsylvania and Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington DC.

Memorial Day speeches became an occasion for veterans, politicians and ministers to commemorate the War, and at first to rehash the "atrocities" of the enemy. They mixed religion and celebratory nationalism and provided a means for the people to make sense of their history in terms of sacrifice for a better nation. People of all religious beliefs joined together, and the point was often made that the German and Irish soldiers had become true Americans in the "baptism of blood" on the battlefield. By the end of the 1870s, much of the war time rancor was gone, and the speeches usually praised the brave soldiers, both Blue and Gray. By the 1950s, the theme was American exceptionalism and duty to uphold freedom in the world." (excerpted from (visit link) )

Date Installed or Dedicated: 05/30/1905 Name of Government Entity or Private Organization that built the monument: Women's Relief Corps of the George H. Thomas Post No. 7 Union, Confederate or Other Monument: Union Rating (1-5): Photo or photos will be uploaded.: yes Related Website: Not listed

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   12/17/2014 Spooty visited it