Des Plaines in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Civil War, 1861-1865

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, March 21, 2025

1. Civil War, 1861-1865 Marker

Inscription. In the four-way presidential election of 1860, Illinois voters overwhelmingly cast ballots for northern Unionist candidates Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. Southern states feared that President Lincoln would move to abolish slavery once he took office. These fears spurred southern slaveholding states to secede from the union and attack United States military fortifications within the south, such as Fort Sumter. In the ensuing war, Illinois contributed around 250,000 soldiers to the United States Army. While Des Plaines was not incorporated until 1869, dozens of men from the area that would become Des Plaines served for the Union. Three men from Des Plaines perished in the conflict. Their names are on the wall of the Memorial Pavilion.

[Caption beneath the photo:]
The Grand Army of the Republic was a veterans organization for men who fought for the Union in the Civil War. This photo shows the Des Plaines GAR prepared for a Fourth of July parade circa 1910.

Topics and series. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Abolition & Underground RR • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the The Grand Army of the Republic series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1861.

Location. 42° 0.788′ N, 87° 53.683′ W. Memorial is in Des Plaines,

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Illinois, in Cook County. It is on Lee Street west of Fargo Avenue, on the right when traveling south. The marker is in Lake Park, near the memorial pavilion just east of Lake Opeka. It is part of the memorial garden walk, 11 signs that discuss America's military engagements and Des Plaines's link to them, that sits behind the POW/MIA memorial. Touch for map. Memorial is in this post office area: Des Plaines IL 60018, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this memorial is in Greater Chicago.

It is also in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: World War I, 1917-1918 (here, next to this marker); Spanish-American War, 1898 (here, next to this marker); Illinois Remembers POW/MIA (here, next to this marker); Lake Park Veterans Memorial (here, next to this marker); Korean War, 1950-1975 (here, next to this marker); Iraq War, 2003-2011 (here, next to this marker); Gulf War, 1990-1991 (here, next to this marker); War in Afghanistan, 2001-2021 (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Des Plaines.

Also see . . . Des Plaines' Civil War Training Camp. On pages 2 and 3 of the Des Plaines History Center's January-March 2011 Cobweb newsletter is a history of the training camp set up in Des Plaines in 1861.

Excerpt: "A few months after the April 1861 start of the War Between the States, a training camp was established in Des Plaines for army regulars, as opposed to volunteers. From August
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, March 21, 2025

2. Memorial Garden Walk
Between Lake Park's memorial pavilion and the POW/MIA memorial is a small "garden walk" that includes 11 signs describing America's military history and Des Plaines's link.
to November 1861 hundreds of men joined the 16th U.S. Infantry encamped in Des Plaines."

(Submitted on March 23, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

Credits. This page was last revised on March 23, 2025. It was originally submitted on March 23, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 154 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 23, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.