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Ohio Civil War Monuments

Ohio’s American Civil War soldiers and civilians sought to commemorate the troopers’ devotion to and service with the United States by constructing monuments and other memorials.

During the American Civil War, Ohio provided the federal government with 260 regiments of men, including infantry, artillery, and cavalry units. Ohioans also served in several other regiments from other states, most notably from Kentucky, West Virginia, and Massachusetts, as well as in federal units. Almost 330,000 Ohio men, including 5,092 African Americans, served in the Union military during the conflict.

Ohio’s soldiers and civilians sought to commemorate the troopers’ devotion to and service with the United States by constructing monuments and other memorials. Ohioans completed the first of these commemorations during the Civil War, with hundreds more being built after the conflict. Ohioans have built at least 295 monuments to commemorate Civil War veterans, civilians, political leaders, and war-related events in the state. Eighty-six of the state’s eighty-eight counties contain Civil War monuments, with Hamilton County, Lucas County, Lorain County, Brown County, and Franklin County each boasting ten or more memorials each. Only Clinton County and Noble County do not contain Civil War monuments.

Ohio’s earliest monument commemorating the Civil War and events that led to the conflict was completed in 1860 in Oberlin. Residents constructed an obelisk to honor three African-American men who died during John Brown’s Raid on Harper’s Ferry, Virginia (present-day West Virginia) in 1859.

The earliest Ohio memorial for actual Civil War soldiers was constructed in Bristol (modern-day Bristolville), in Trumbull County. Dedicated on October 16, 1863, the monument cost five hundred dollars to build and honored the fourteen men from Bristol who lost their lives during the conflict between 1861 and 1863.

Ohio’s Civil War monuments vary in design, but some designs are more prolific than others. Many of the state’s first monuments consisted of eagles, with the wings being fully extended, partially extended, or folded. Approximately seventy percent of the memorials constructed in Ohio during the 1860s included an eagle. From 1870 to 1931, soldiers replaced the eagle as being the most popular figure on Ohio’s memorials. The soldiers came in various designs, including standing at parade rest, standing guard, holding a flag and sword, serving as a color bearer, skirmishing, or serving as a sentinel. Of the 120 monuments constructed in Ohio that feature soldiers, eighty-nine have the trooper standing at parade rest. Other designs used in Ohio’s Civil War monuments include obelisks, artillery pieces, a cross, flag poles, a horse, President Abraham Lincoln other prominent military and political leaders, and various markers and plaques, among other types. There are also gazebos, memorial halls, and chapels that honor Ohio’s contributions to the Civil War. Ohio’s more traditional monuments—statues—were usually constructed of bronze, granite, marble, or cast iron.

Two businesses primarily built memorials in Ohio, although many communities did utilize local artists instead of these companies. The W.H. Mullins Company was founded in Salem, Ohio circa 1894. Besides military monuments, the company also produced tin ceilings, lawn and garden statuary, and other items. The W.H. Mullins Company produced memorials for communities in both the North and the South. In Ohio, the company made monuments that featured a soldier at parade rest for the communities of Applecreek, Circleville, Delphos, Pickaway, Washington Court House, and Wooster. The communities of Eaton and Elyria contain Mullins monuments consisting of skirmishers, while Salem and Wadsworth have memorials produced by this company that feature standard bearers. Elyria has a second Mullins monument, consisting of an eagle, as does Ashtabula. The W.H. Mullins Company, which remains in business today at Salem, also produced statues of President Abraham Lincoln and Judge Advocate of the Lincoln conspirators John A. Bingham for the communities of Wooster and Cadiz respectively.

The Monumental Bronze Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut was established in 1874. While headquartered in Bridgeport, the company operated six foundries across the United States in the late 1800s and the early 1900s. Among the company’s monuments in Ohio are ones located in Cardington, Defiance, Grafton, Kipton, New California, Wauseon, and Windsor. The Monumental Bronze Company also manufactured the Confederate memorial, located at the site of Camp Chase in Columbus. This business’ monuments tended to last much longer than those made by other companies. The Monumental Bronze Company constructed many of its monuments, especially its earliest ones, out of “white bronze,” a type of material consisting of zinc. The material weathered well and, as the monument aged, developed a bluish-gray coloring. The material was never very popular with monument purchasers, and the Monumental Bronze Company ceased using white bronze in production by the early 1900s. The company was especially famous for its metal tombstones. On March 8, 1939, the business filed for bankruptcy and no longer operates today.

Ohio’s Civil War monuments include the following:

Adams County

Soldier Monument, Town Square, West Union, Ohio

Allen County:

Cannon Monument, Woodlawn Cemetery, Lima

Eagle Monument, Spencerville Township Cemetery, Spencerville

Soldier Monument, Town Square, West Union

Soldier Monument, Delphos Veterans Memorial Park, Delphos

Soldier Monument, High Street, Lafayette

Ashland County:

Soldier Monument, Courthouse lawn, Ashland

Ashtabula County:

Eagle Monument, Geneva Elementary School, Geneva

Owen Brown Monument, Courthouse Lawn, Jefferson

Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument, 44th Street and Main Avenue, Ashtabula

Soldier Monument, City Park, Austinburg

Soldier Monument, City Cemetery, Conneaut

Soldier Monument, Courthouse Lawn, Jefferson

Soldier Monument, Evergreen Cemetery, Pierpont

Soldier Monument, Noble Road Cemetery, Windsor

Athens County:

Soldier Monument, Ohio University Commons, Athens

Camp Wool Marker, West Elementary School, Athens

Cannon, Greenlawn Cemetery, Doanville

Auglaize County:

Soldier Monument, Elm Grove Cemetery, St. Marys

Soldier Monument, Greenlawn Cemetery, Wapakoneta

Belmont County:

Soldier Monument, Southern Cemetery, Barnesville

Soldier Monument, Belmont Street and 34th Street, Bellaire

Cannon and Memorial, Weeks Cemetery, Bridgeport

Brown County:

Soldier Monument, Decatur Park, Decatur

Soldier Monument, Maplewood Cemetery, East Ripley

Grant’s Schoolhouse State Memorial, Georgetown

U.S, Grant’s Boyhood Home, Georgetown

U.S. Grant Statue, 2003 Veterans Boulevard, Georgetown

Plaque, Front Street and Mulberry Street, Ripley

Cannon and Memorial, Main Street and Second Street, Ripley

Reverend John Rankin’s House, Ripley

Monument, Front Street and Main Street, Ripley

John P. Parker Home, Ripley

“Freedom Landing” Tablet, Front Street, Ripley

Reverend John Mahan Gravesite, Old Sardinia Cemetery, Sardinia

Butler County:

Soldiers, Sailors and Pioneers Monument, High Street and Monument Avenue, Hamilton

Sundial Monument, Monument Avenue, Hamilton

Soldier Monument, Woodside Cemetery, Middletown

Carroll County:

McCook House, Public Square, Carrollton

Champaign County:

Soldier Monument, Maple Grove Cemetery, Mechanicsburg

Soldier Monument, Monument Square, Urbana

Clark County:

Soldier Monument, New Carlisle Cemetery, New Carlisle

Soldier Monument, Ferncliff Cemetery, Springfield

Clermont County:

Cannon Memorial, Stone Lick Township Cemetery, Stone Lick Township

U.S. Grant Memorial Stained Glass Window, Laurel Methodist Church, Laurel

U.S. Grant Memorial Bridge, Point Pleasant

U.S. Grant’s Birthplace, Point Pleasant

Soldier Monument, Township Cemetery, Williamsburg

Columbiana County:

Edwin Coppock Memorial, Hope Cemetery, Salem

Soldier Monument, Hope Cemetery, Salem

Soldier Monument, Grandview Cemetery, Salem

Soldier Monument, Hope Cemetery, Salem

Stone Monument, State Route 518, West Point

Coshocton County:

Obelisk, McElwee Park, New Castle

Crawford County:

Granite Monument to Frank the Warhorse, Bill Stanley's Farm, Marion Melmore Road, just

north of Route 30, Oceola

Cuyahoga County:

Soldier Monument, Public Square, Bedford

Soldier Monument, Public Square, Berea

Eagle Monument, Evergreen Hill Cemetery, Chagrin Falls

Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument, 3 Public Square, Cleveland

James A. Garfield Monument, Lake View Cemetery, Cleveland

Abraham Lincoln Statue, 1380 East 6th Street, Cleveland

Mortimer D. Leggett Gravesite, Lake View Cemetery, Cleveland

7th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Woodland Cemetery, Cleveland

23rd Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Woodland Cemetery, Cleveland

Darke County:

Soldier Monument, Greenville Cemetery, Greenville

Defiance County:

Soldier Monument, Riverside Cemetery, Defiance

Soldier Monument, Forest Home Cemetery, Hicksville

Soldier Monument, Sherwood Cemetery, Sherwood

Delaware County:

Soldier Monument, Courthouse Lawn, Delaware

Stone Monument, Rosecrans Road, Sunbury

Erie County:

Eagle Monument, park square, Milan

Soldier Statue, 3416 Columbus Avenue, Sandusky

Obelisk, 3416 Columbus Avenue, Sandusky

Gazebo, 3416 Columbus Avenue, Sandusky

Fairfield County:

Granite Monument, North High Street and West Oak Street, Canal Winchester

William T. Sherman Home, 137 East Main Street, Lancaster

William Tecumseh Sherman Statue, downtown, Lancaster

;Fayette County:

Soldier Monument, Washington Cemetery, Washington Court House

Franklin County:

Lincoln Statue, Ohio Capitol Rotunda, Columbus

William McKinley Statue, Ohio Capitol Grounds, Columbus

Camp Chase Confederate Cemetery Monument, 2900 Sullivant Avenue, Columbus

Soldier Monument, Greenlawn Cemetery, Columbus

Peace Monument, Capitol Square, Columbus

Soldier Monument, Capitol Square, Columbus

James Ovid Wellford Smith Gravesite, Greenlawn Cemetery, Columbus

Grand Army of the Republic Sundial, Capitol Square, Columbus

Bronze Monument, Towers Hall, Otterbein College, Westerville

Benjamin Russell Hanby Home, 160 West Main Street, Westerville

Fulton County:

Soldier Monument, 210 South Fulton Street, Wauseon

Soldier Monument, Park Street, Wauseon

Gallia County:

Bandstand, city park, Gallipolis

Geauga County:

Granite Monument, Cemetery, Montville

Greene County:

Martin Robison Delany Gravesite, Massies Creek Cemetery, Wilberforce

Plaque, Antioch Hall, Antioch College, Yellow Springs

Guernsey County:

Soldier Monument, West 8th Street and Wheeling Avenue, Cambridge

Obelisk, Old Cambridge Cemetery, Cambridge

Confederate Soldiers Gravesite, Old Mill Road, Old Washington

Hamilton County:

Blue Ash Bicentennial Veterans Memorial, Blue Ash Towne Square, Blue Ash

Blue Ash Millennium American Heritage Bell Tower, Blue Ash Towne Square, Blue Ash

Abraham Lincoln Statue, Lytle Park, Cincinnati

James A. Garfield Monument, Platt Park, Cincinnati

Hamilton County Memorial Building, 1225 Elm Street, Cincinnati

Friedrich Hecker Monument, Washington Park, Cincinnati

Robert L. McCook Monument, Washington Park, Cincinnati

Soldier Monument, Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati

5th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry Monument, Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati

William Haines Lytle Gravesite, Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati

Fighting McCooks Gravesite, Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati

Cannon, Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati

Stephen Foster Monument, Alms Park, Cincinnati

Flagpole, Eden Park, Cincinnati

Camp Dennison Monument, State Route 126, Indian Hill

Hancock County:

Soldier Monument, Maple Grove Cemetery, Findlay

Soldier Monument, Fountain Cemetery, Fostoria

Soldier Monument McComb Union Cemetery, McComb

Hardin County:

Cannon Monument, Village Park, Ada

Jacob Wilson Parrott, Grove Cemetery, Kenton

Soldier Monument, Grove Cemetery, Kenton

Harrison County:

John A. Bingham Statue, Courthouse Lawn, Cadiz

Memorial Plaque, Courthouse Lawn, Cadiz

George A. Custer Monument, County Road 646, New Rumley

Henry County:

Cannon Monument, State Route 6, McClure

Highland County:

Soldier Monument, Greenfield Cemetery, Greenfield

Soldier Monument, Courthouse Lawn, Hillsboro

Granite Monument, Courthouse Lawn, Hillsboro

Obelisk, Masonic Cemetery, Lynchburg

Hocking County:

Soldier Monument, Town Square, Logan

Holmes County:

Soldier Monument, Town Square, Millersburg

Huron County:

Soldier Monument, 71 South Main Street, New London

Stone Monument, North Monroeville Cemetery, North Monroeville

Granite Monument, Norwalk Public Library, Norwalk

Moses Fairchild Wooster Gravesite, Woodlawn Cemetery, Norwalk

Jackson County:

Plaque, Main Street and Broadway Street, Jackson

Granite Monument, Town Square, Wellston

Cannon, Town Square, Wellston

Jefferson County:

Stone Monument, County Roads 53 and 54, Bravo

Edwin M. Stanton Monument, 3rd Street and Market Street, Steubenville

Granite Monument 1, Union Cemetery, Steubenville

Granite Monument 2, Union Cemetery, Steubenville

Eagle Monument, Union Cemetery, Steubenville

Knox County:

Soldier Monument, Mount View Cemetery, Mount Vernon

Soldier Monument, Monument Square, Mount Vernon

Lake County:

Soldier Monument, Town Square, Madison

Soldier Monument, Veterans Memorial Park, Painesville

Soldier Monument, Town Square, Willoughby

Lawrence County:

Four Parrott Guns, Woodlawn Cemetery, Ironton

Licking County:

Obelisk, 12239 Morse Road, Jersey

John Lincoln Clem Statue, Veterans Park, Newark

Logan County:

Marble Monument, Bellefontaine Cemetery, Bellfeontaine

Lorain County:

Soldier Monument, Ridgelawn Cemetery, Elyria

Eagle Monument, Ridgelawn Cemetery, Elyria

Soldier Monument, Ely Park, Elyria

Soldier Monument, Butternut Ridge Cemetery, Grafton

Eagle Monument, State Route 58 and State Route 162 intersection, Huntington

Soldier Monument, 6th Street and State Street intersection, Kipton

Soldier Monument, State Route 301 and 303 intersection, LaGrange

Brick Monument, Wright Park, Oberlin

Giles W. Shurtleff Statue, South Professor Street, Oberlin

Marble Monument, Martin Luther King, Jr., Park, Oberlin

Stone Monument, South Professor and West College Street intersection, Oberlin

Oberlin-Wellington Rescue Monument, Martin Luther King, Jr., Park, Oberlin

Soldier Monument, State Route 58 and State Route 303 intersection, Pittsfield

Lucas County:

Soldier Monument, 102 East Broadway, Maumee

Eagle Monument, Monclova-Swan Creek Cemetery, Monclova Township

Stone Monument, Willow Cemetery, Oregon

Obelisk, North Oregon Cemetery, Oregon

James B. Steedman Statue, Jamie Farr Park, Toledo

Bronze Memorial, 325 Michigan Street, Toledo

Henry G. Neubert Gravesite, Woodlawn Cemetery, Toledo

James B. Steedman Gravesite, Woodlawn Cemetery, Toledo

George Duncan Forsyth Gravesite, Forest Cemetery, Toledo

Obelisk, Woodlawn Cemetery, Toledo

Stone Urn, Civic Center Plaza, Toledo

Granite Monument, Forest Cemetery, Toledo

Mark Wood Gravesite, Forest Cemetery, Toledo

Soldier Monument, Wakeman Cemetery, Waterville

Soldier Monument, Providence Street and St. Louis Avenue intersection, Whitehouse

Madison County:

Soldier Monument, Oak Hill Cemetery, London

Mahoning County:

Soldier Monument, Riverside Cemetery, Poland

Soldier Monument, Center Square, Youngstown

Marion County:

Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Chapel, Marion City Cemetery, Marion

Medina County:

Eagle Monument, State Route 83 and State Route 162 intersection, Chatham

Soldier Monument, Spring Grove Cemetery, Medina

Soldier Monument, Woodlawn Cemetery, Wadsworth

Meigs County:

Gazebo, Stewart Bennett Memorial Park, Middleport

Soldier Monument, Courthouse Lawn, Pomeroy

Daniel McCook, Sr., Monument, State Route 124, Portland

Metal Historic Markers, Buffington Island State Park, Portland

Stone Monument, Portland Park, Portland

Mercer County:

Soldier Monument, Market Street and Main Street intersection, Mendon

Miami County:

Bronze Marker, Hardin Road, Piqua

Stone Monument, Jackson Cemetery, Piqua

Eagle Monument, Forest Hill Cemetery, Piqua

Steven C. Rowan Monument, East Main Street and 1st Street intersection, Piqua

Soldier Monument, State Route 48 and State Route 718 intersection, Pleasant Hill

Soldier Monument, Riverside Cemetery, Troy

Monroe County:

Soldier Monument, Unity Baptist Cemetery, Antioch

Montgomery County:

Soldier Monument, North Gateway, Dayton

Soldier Monument, Veterans Hospital Portico, Dayton

Soldier Monument, Dayton National Cemetery, Dayton

Obelisk, Woodland Arboretum, Dayton

Clement L. Vallandigham Gravesite, Woodland Cemetery, Dayton

Morgan County:

Granite Monument, Route 60, Eagleport

Soldier Monument, Town Square, McConnelsville

Morrow County:

Soldier Monument, Glendale Cemetery, Cardington

Muskingum County:

Soldier Monument, Hamlin Street and Greenwood Street intersection, Zanesville

Ottawa County:

Southern Soldier Statue, Cemetery, Johnson's Island

Perry County:

Company D, 30th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Veterans Monument Square, New

;;;;;;;;;;; Lexington

Philip Sheridan Monument, Village Square, Somerset

Pickaway County:

Soldier Monument, Forest Cemetery, Circleville

Pike County:

William Shrader Gravesite, Old Baptist Cemetery, Omega

Portage County:

Newton H. Hall Gravesite, Standing Rock Cemetery, Kent

Eagle Monument, Village Circle, Nelson

Slave Monument, Maple Grove Cemetery, Ravenna

Preble County:

Soldier Monument, Fort St. Clair Park, Eaton

Soldier Monument, Mound Hill Union Cemetery, Eaton

Putnam County:

Soldier Monument, Town Park, Columbus Grove

Soldier Monument, Ottawa River Cemetery, Rimer

Richland County:

Soldier Monument, Central Park, Mansfield

Soldier Monument, South Park, Mansfield

Bronze Plaque, Central Park, Mansfield

Sultana Historic Marker, South Park, Mansfield

Ross County:

Soldier Monument, Grandview Cemetery, Chillicothe

Soldier Monument, Yoctangee Park, Chillicothe

Joshua W. Sill Gravesite, Grandview Cemetery, Chillicothe

Sandusky County:

Charles B. Gambee Gravesite, Bellevue Cemetery, Bellevue

James B. McPherson Monument, McPherson Cemetery, Clyde

Soldier Monument, 423 Crogham Street, Fremont

Scioto County:

Soldier Monument, Tracy Park, Portsmouth

Soldiers Circle Chapel, Greenlawn Cemetery, Portsmouth

Soldier Monument, Greenlawn Cemetery, Portsmouth

Seneca County:

Soldier Monument and Stained Glass Windows, Amsden Methodist Church, Amsden

Granite Monument, Attica and Venice Township Cemetery, Attica

Granite Monument, Kansas Cemetery, Liberty Township

Soldier Monument, Pleasant Union Cemetery, Old Fort

Granite Monument, Omar Cemetery, Omar

Soldier Monument, Village Park, Republic

Soldier Monument, Frost Parkway, Tiffin

William Harvey Gibson Monument, Courthouse Lawn, Tiffin

Shelby County:

Monumental Building, Court Street and Ohio Street intersection, Sidney

Schultz's Battery Monument, Ohio Avenue and Main Avenue intersection, Sidney

Stark County:

Abraham Lincoln Monument, Alliance Public Square, Alliance

McKinley Monument, 800 McKinley Monument Drive Northwest, Canton

Soldier Monument, Westlawn Cemetery, Canton

Soldier Monument, East Sparta Cemetery, East Sparta

Theodore Swan Gravesite, East Sparta Cemetery, East Sparta

Cannon Monument, Town Center, Massillon

Granite Monument, Union Lawn Cemetery, Navarre

Soldier Monument, Zion Cemetery, North Canton

Soldier Monument, Greenlawn Cemetery, Wilmot

Summit County:

John Brown Monument, Perkins Park, Akron

Memorial Chapel, Akron Rural Cemetery-Glendale, Akron

Soldier Monument, Cedar Grove Cemetery, Peninsula

Eagle Monument, Town Square, Twinsburg

Trumbull County:

Stone Monument, Town Square, Bristolville

Eagle Monument, State Route 534 and 87 State Route intersection, Mesopotamia

National William McKinley Birthplace Memorial, 46 North Main Street, Niles

Soldier Monument, State Route 305, Southington

Eagle Monument, State Route 193 and Warren Sharon Road, Vienna

Granite Memorial, Oakwood Cemetery, Warren

Soldier Monument, Monumental Park, Warren

Tuscarawas County:

William C. Quantrill Grave Marker, 4th Street Cemetery, Dover

Soldier Monument, Maple Grove Cemetery, Dover

Soldier Monument, Courthouse Lawn, New Philadelphia

Eagle Monument, Ragersville Cemetery, Ragersville

Soldier Monument, Union Cemetery, Uhrichsville

Union County:

Eagle Monument, Milford Center Cemetery, Milford Center

Soldier Monument, US 42 and Industrial Parkway intersection, New California

Van Wert County:

Soldier Monument, Woodlawn Cemetery, Ohio City

Soldier Monument, Woodland Cemetery, Van Wert

Cannon Monument, Courthouse Lawn, Van Wert

Vinton County:

Soldier Monument, Courthouse, McArthur

Warren County:

Flagpole and Cannon Monument, Hamilton-Middletown Road Cemetery, Franklin

Robert E. Lee Monument,; Hamilton-Middletown Road and Cincinnati-Dayton Road

;;;;;;;;;;; intersection, Franklin

Washington County:

Soldier Monument, Muskingum Park, Marietta

Reverend Gordon Battelle Monument, Newport Cemetery, Newport

Wayne County:

Soldier Monument, Railroad Park, Applecreek

Obelisk, Reedsburg Cemetery, Reedsburg

Soldier Monument, Public Square, Wooster

Abraham Lincoln Statue, Andrews L:ibrary at College of Wooster, Wooster

Soldier Monument, Wooster Cemetery, Wooster

Williams County:

Soldier Monument, Village Park, Edgerton

Wood County:

John Alfred Wilson Gravesite, Union Hill Cemetery, Bowling Green

Soldier Monument, Hood Park, Perrysburg

Soldier Monument, Church Street and Main Street intersection, Wayne

Stained Glass Windows, Wayne Methodist Church, Wayne

Siege Cannons, Wayne Garden Club Park, Wayne

Soldier Monument, Weston Cemetery, Weston

Wyandot County:

Cannon, Chandler Cemetery, Marseilles

Granite Monument, Nevada Cemetery, Nevada

Granite Monument, Old Sycamore Cemetery, Sycamore

Bronze Marker, County Courthouse, Upper Sandusky

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