KANSAS, THE SOLDIER STATE
Kansas is known as a Soldier state due to the very large number
of Civil War Veterans who settled here. Almost all communities
supported a camp of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR). It
was typical for those camps to sponsor or erect monuments to
honor the Civil War Soldier whether lost during the war or a
returned Veteran. The Women's Relief Corps (WRC), Ladies of
the Grand Army of the Republic (LGAR), and others also erected
memorials and monuments. Many county court house squares, City
Parks, and local cemeteries are so honored. This listing
preserves the memory of those Civil War Memorials and Monuments
located in Kansas.
SUVCW MEMORIALS AND MONUMENTS PROJECT
One of the important purposes and goals of the
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW)
is to honor the memory of our Civil War
Veterans and to preserve the American tradition
of Memorial Day. In Kansas, we are fortunate to
have a number of outstanding monuments,
memorials, and outdoor sculpture to serve as
the focus for these (and other) celebrations
and remembrances.
Over the years, much has been done by others
to identify GAR monuments and Civil War-related
memorials erected by other parties. The effort
being put forth by the SUVCW is unique because
of the following points. With the help of our
Departments across the country, and the local
Camps within them, the SUVCW will physically
search out and inspect each and every memorial
that can be found. This will minimize the
chance of any memorial being overlooked and
more importantly, identify any professional
restoration work that may be necessary - due to
the effects of nature or vandalism. Realizing
that anything "on-the-books" is dated
information, the SUVCW will continue to
regularly inspect memorials so that our data
remains current. Another important aspect of
this project, is to contact the public
authorities and private property owners tied to
the sites that these memorials stand on, and
inform them of the GAR- SUVCW Deed of
Conveyance. Notice of the SUVCW's legal
interests should put an end to the removal
and/or sale of Civil War cannon from
memorials!
As legal heir to the GAR, the preservation of
these monuments and memorials is one of the
most important purposes of the SUVCW! With
proper care, these monuments will continue to
stand in tribute to those who saved the Union
during the conflict of 1861 to 1865.
KANSAS CIVIL WAR MONUMENTS AND MEMORIALS
Memorials and Monuments have been successfully located and
documented from almost all Kansas counties. To view the
listings, enter here:
The listings include:
Primary Memorials These memorials have a direct lineage to
the Civil War veteran. They may have been directly sponsored
or erected by the GAR, WRC, or LGAR. They may have been
dedicated by others as honoring the Civil War Soldier. They
are similar to other Primary Memorials. These memorials are
of direct interest to the SUVCW.
Secondary Memorials These memorials are not of direct Civil
War lineage but do include the Civil War Soldier by direct
reference or by providing honor to "all those who have served
our country". They honor the soldier from all wars. These
memorials, while not of direct interest to the SUVCW, are
included here for two reasons. First, they do honor our ancestors
who fought to preserve the Union. Second, they indicate that
their locale has been surveyed.
OTHER RECOGNITIONS
It is impossible to visit cemeteries without noticing the
gravestones and cast medallions that reference the GAR and the
WRC. While these are not the same level of Civil War Memorials
as recorded above, they do provide significant honor and
interest. To view these recognitions, click here:
REFERENCES AND CONTRIBUTORS
Many documents and many people have contributed
to the creation and maintenance of this memorials listing. They all
need to be recognized and thanked for their contribution.
HOW TO HELP
This is a very large project and we can use
your assistance. If you know of a GAR monument or Civil War-related memorial
(of any size/design) near you, we invite you to share this information with
the SUVCW. Please contact our Department Civil War Memorials Officer with
any information.
Since many of these memorials and monuments have not been previously documented,
any information is helpful. If you know of a Kansas memorial or monument
that is not on this list, please let us know.
If your Grandparents told you about a memorial or monument that they knew of,
please let us know.
If you suspect there might be a memorial or monument that is not on
the list, please let us know.
Note that this does not include individual grave markers (headstones) but may include
large stone markers, monuments, soldier statues, memorial arches, cannons, plaques,
stained glass windows, etc.
Help us locate these precious memories so that we can appropriately honor
"those who gave their today for our tomorrow".
For full survey documentation, the following information is recorded:
- Location
- town
- location in relation to any major landmarks
- name of cemetery, museum, or park
-
Description
- granite monument
- stone monument
- soldier statue
- pavilion
- memorial arch
- etc
-
Photos - any format
- "scenic" photo of front
- four sides
- close up of details
-
Inscriptions - if any
- inscriptions
- dedications
- plaques
- etc
-
References - if known
- documented surveys
- historical lists
- etc
Department Civil War Memorials Officer -
Douglas E. McGovern
demcgovern@aol.com
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