Monument Park

Monument Park. est. 1885. , Kent County Civil War Monument , [Explanation of sections of the monument from top to bottom] , Men from Kent County took part in every major battle during the four years of the war. Sixteen of those important battles are listed on the monument. , , This section honors the Civil War soldiers who served from Kent County. It also includes the seal of Michigan and the badge of the Grand Army of the Republic, an early veterans advocacy group. , , This Monument is considered the first in the nation to pay tribute to the efforts of women during the Civil War in aiding the soldiers on the battlefields and in the hospitals. , , Faces in bas relief of President Abraham Lincoln, General Ulysses S. Grant, Admiral David Farragut and President James A. Garfield adorn the four sides of the base. , , Another first in the nation is the unique fountain feature. It operates through four putti on the second tier and 20 cannon spouts around the base. , , Monumental Timeline , 1861 Civil War begins. Kent County answers the President's call. , , 1864 In February 1864, before the war's end, Thomas D. Gilbert led the Kent County Soldiers Monument Association in promoting a monument for downtown Grand Rapids. However, due to more pressing needs, the project was set aside. , , 1865 The war ends. More than 4,200 local recruits were involved in most of the major battles of the War, almost 600 of whom sacrificed their lives for the Union cause. , , 1884 In November 1884, the Association resumed its efforts, receiving the permission of the Common Council to erect a memorial in the "Triangular Park at the head of Monroe Street." , , 1885 On September 17, 1885, the monument was solemnly dedicated before a crowd of more than 30,000, including some 3,000 Union veterans, and General Philip Sheridan, as guest of honor. , , 1959 The City of Grand Rapids rehabilitates Monument Park. Soldiers Monument is repainted blue in honor of "boys in blue." , , 1977 A new design for Monroe Center includes relocating the Monument 60 feet to the North to provide for widening of Fulton and Division. Portions of Monroe Center Street are converted to an open plaza. , , 2000 A Civil War Monument Restoration Committee was formed, led by the General John A. Logan Camp No. 1 of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. The $250,000 needed for full restoration of the monument was raised over the next three years. , , 2003 On October 3, 2003, before a crowd that included Edward Blakely, the son of a Union veteran who had attended the original monument dedication, the Kent County Civil War Monument was re-dedicated. , , 2013 - 2014 The renovation of Monument Park, begun in 2013, moved the monument slightly once again, to enhance its beauty and historic importance. On October 23, 2014 a ribbon cutting ceremony was held to celebrate the newly renovated space and the memory of the sacrifices that it honors. , , Made to Endure the Elements , In 1873, two men, M.A. Richardson and C.J. Willard, are credited with perfecting the process of casting monuments in pure zinc. The term "white bronze" was adopted to sound more appealing. The Monumental Bronze company of Bridgeport Connecticut, quickly acquired the rights and began producing graveyard monuments, from 1874 to 1914 at various subsidiaries, including The Detroit Bronze company. These pieces created from zinc retain their beauty due to the excellent weather resistant properties of the material. Unlike stone monuments, that can crumble and decay in the elements, the cast white bronze monuments, such as the Kent County's Civil War monument, survive to this day, in excellent condition. , , To learn more about the history and restoration of Monument Park, please visit HistoryGrandRapids.org