Ivers Square Civil War Monuments

Ivers Square Civil War Monuments. . , In 1911, Cape Girardeau members of the Missouri Chapter of the Woman's Relief Corps, an auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic, commissioned a memorial to the fallen soldiers of the City and County. Dedicated on May 30, 1911, the memorial fountain and statue was presented to the city by Sallie McCammon. The sentinel atop the fountain stood for ninety-two years until a fallen branch shattered the statue in 2003. Sculptor Alan Gibson created an exact replica, which was installed on June 13, 2003., In 1931, the Cape Girardeau chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy erected a memorial to the region's Confederate dead. Plans were initiated in 1910 by Mary Hunter Gibonev Houck, wife of Louis Houck and finally realized by the chapter twenty-one years later under the leadership of Maude M. Hope. Originally located at the foot of the old Mississippi River traffic bridge, the monument was moved to its current location in 1995 when the old bridge was slated for demolition. This monument recognizes the dedication and sacrifice of Southeast Missourians who fought to help establish a Confederate slaveholding republic. This monument must now also remind us that their loss actually meant liberty, justice and freedom for thousands of their fellow Missourians. , Think about it: Why did the women of Cape Girardeau want to memorialize Civil War soldiers? , In 2019, the United States Colored Troops statue was installed near the location of the old market house where human beings were routinely bought and sold prior to the Civil War. This statue honors the courage and sacrifice of the more than 240 enslaved African Americans who enlisted in the Union Army here at the Common Pleas Courthouse. Their willingness to fight for their own freedom and the freedom of their fellow Americans continues to inspire us today. , Think about it: Why is it important to memorialize USCT soldiers?, USCT Monument created by Roy W. Butler © 2019.