Soldiers and Sailors Park / The Civic Improvement Society of Monroe

Soldiers and Sailors Park, also, The Civic Improvement Society of Monroe. . The oldest public park in Monroe County, Soldiers and Sailors Park was created in 1909 when the half mile long riverfront parcel was purchased by the City of Monroe from the Ilgenfritz family for $700. This came about directly through the efforts of the Civic Improvement Society of Monroe. The society then transformed it by planting trees, shrubs, and flowers in the park. It was originally called "Riverside Park" from 1909 through 1923. A week before the Custer Statue was moved to the park in 1923 from Loranger Square it was renamed Soldiers and Sailors Park. The Custer Statue remained there until it was moved again in 1955. The park was the last annual gathering place for local Civil War veterans in the 1920's and 1930s who would gather each Memorial Day at the Custer Statue and hold remembrance services for the fallen comrades in the Civil War. The Joseph Smith Post No. 76 of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) in Monroe placed a plaque attached to a boulder in the park and dedicated it on Memorial Day 1925 and had eleven members who were Civil War veterans present at the dedication. On Memorial Day 1929, the auxiliary of Carl Payson American Legion Post No. 40 in Monroe dedicated a concrete memorial with a painted star on it for the local casualties of world war one. A three piece granite monument listing the names of the Civil War fallen from Monroe county was erected in 2012 during the sesquicentennial of the Civil War., The Civic Improvement Society of Monroe was organized in April, 1901, as the result of the work of a few interested women who canvassed the city, explaining their reasons for desiring to unite in a society for the betterment of the community. This woman's organization during its thirteen years of existence accomplished extraordinary things that can still be seen around the city. Their interests were many and included beautification and cleanliness of the city, recognizing the history of the city and improving the health and sanitation of the community. It was the Society that was responsible for transforming the old War of 18 12 burial ground that was overrun with vines and weeds into what is now called Memorial Place and for the monument erected there in 1904 for the Kentucky soldiers who died here and who were buried on that site. They also raised the funds for and erected the War of 18 12 cobblestone obelisk battlefield monument on Elm Street in 1904. The Society erected the original six historical markers in the county which were bronze tablets mostly attached to boulders in the City of Monroe. All six still exist. They planted trees and flowers and were masters of using the press to accomplish their goals. This was especially true in the area of cleanliness and sanitation. Their members were assigned to watch over different parts of the city to promote their goals. Led by Josephine Van Miller, the Society made a lasting impact throughout the City of Monroe. They disbanded in 1914.