Civil War Monument

Civil War Monument. . The 1913 South Dakota Legislature granted permission to the veterans of the Grand Army of the Republic, Woman's Relief Corps, Sons of Veterans and patriotic citizens of South Dakota "to erect upon the State Capitol grounds a monument or memorial arch to commemorate the soldiers of the Civil War." In 1915, the legislature appropriated $1,000 for a monument, provided that veterans first raised $5,000. Speaking at the 33rd G.A.R. Encampment in Watertown, Governor Frank Byrne stated that the State of South Dakota, and not the veterans, should pay for the Civil War Monument. Accordingly, the 1917 Legislature appropriated $10,000., In March of 1918, the Mid-West Monument Company of Crawford, Nebraska, received the contract to carve the monument, with the granite and designs provided by the C. Bianchi and Sons Granite Quarries and Manufacturers of Barre, Vermont. The 30' high monument depicts a Union soldier at "parade rest" wearing a forage cap and greatcoat while holding the barrel of his Springfield rifle. Also worn are a bayonet and scabbard (left leg), percussion cap box (front) and cartridge box (back). The monument features various symbols of the Army and Navy, including crossed cannons, rifles, swords and an anchor. An inscription reads, "ERECTED 1918 BY THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA IN HONOR OF THE DEFENDERS OF OUR NATION.", In May 1919, the State Capitol Commission purchase a 1.3-acre parcel of land known as "the triangle" for $2,500. The initial plan was to dedicate the monument at the 36th Encampment of the G.A.R. and W.R.C. held in Pierre June 1-3, 1919. Because the monument was not completed until June 24, the organizations agreed to dedicate it the following year., The official dedication of the Civil War Monument occurred on June 1, 1920, during the 37th Encampment of the G.A.R. and W.R.C. Speaking at the ceremony, Governor Peter Norbeck stated, "It is a long time since the Civil War. The sacrifice was a large one, and it was willingly made by the thousands, yes, by the millions, of loyal American people, and it is only fitting that the state of South Dakota should do a little something to commemorate this, as a sort of reminder to those who come after us, that we have not forgotten the great service that was rendered.", As noted in the June 3, 1920, Weekly Capital Journal, the monument "is a telling token that will stand as long as men live, as a memento to the soldiers who served the nation in the Civil War." It was the first war monument on the South Dakota State Capitol grounds.,

"I notice that you people are attempting to raise some money to place on the park of the capitol grounds in Pierre a monument to the old soldiers of the state, and the state has made you a small insignificant appropriation....I have come to the conclusion that the state ought to place that monument there, and not have the old soldiers going around in one way and another trying to raise the money for it. What does it amount to, to this great, rich state, with nearly three-quarters of a million people, five thousand dollars, or a like amount, to build a monument... to the old soldiers, those who saved the country? I shall ask the next legislature, without cavil or hesitation, to make an appropriation to put that monument there.", Governor Frank Byrne, 33rd G.A.R. Encampment (Watertown, S.D.) 1916

, Captions: , Governor Frank Byrne, at right, was a proponent of a state-funded monument. Ribbon and medal from the 37th Annual Encampment of the G.A.R. and W.R.C. held in Pierre, 1920. An image of the Civil War Memorial is embossed on the medal., Dedication of the Civil War Monument, "In Memory of the Union Veterans of the Civil War," June 1, 1920, Color postcard of the "Old Soldiers Monument" shortly after its completion.