(Junction City Civil War Monument), (sculpture).

(Junction City Civil War Monument), (sculpture).

Gardner, F. A., architect.

(Junction City Civil War Monument), (sculpture).

Dedicated Sept. 9, 1898.

Digital Reference:

Sculpture: white bronze; Base: limestone with marble panels.

Overall: approx. H. 35 ft.; Sculpture: approx. H. 8 ft.; Base: approx. 27 x 23 x 7 1/2 ft.

(On inset gray marble panel, south side of base:) IN GOD WE TRUST/(G.A.R. insignia in bas-relief)/IN MEMORY OF/THE SOLDIERS AND SAILORS OF/1861-1865/WHO INSPIRED BY PATRIOTISM/FREELY OFFERED THEIR LIVES/FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF/AN UNDIVIDED COUNTRY/(Floral pattern in bas-relief) (On inset gray marble panel, north side of base:) 1861-1865/TOTAL ENLISTMENT/2,778,304/KILLED IN BATTLE/67,050/DIED OF WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION/43,012/DIED FROM OTHER CAUSES/249,456 (On keystone on north side of base, raised lettering:) 1898

A zinc statue of a Civil War soldier flanked by two Civil War mortars, placed atop a large, massive, flat-topped memorial arch composed of limestone blocks surmounted by three large limestone slabs. The mustached soldier stands at rest, with proper left foot forward. He holds the upper end of his rifle below the muzzle with both hands centered over his chest; his proper left hand is above his proper right hand. The rifle butt rests on the ground to the proper right of his proper right foot. He wears a kepi, a greatcoat buttoned at the neck and a cape that is thrown back over both soldiers. A bayonet in scabbard hangs from his belt on the proper left and a cartridge pouch hangs from the back proper right. Originally, the sculpture was flanked by rifle stands. Gray marble inscription panels are inset on the front and rear of the arch.

History -- United States -- Civil War

Figure male -- Full length

Occupation -- Military -- Soldier

Dress -- Uniform -- Military Uniform

Object -- Weapon -- Cannon

Outdoor Sculpture -- Kansas -- Junction City

Administered by City of Junction City, Junction City, Kansas

Located 6th & Washington, northeast corner of city park, Junction City, Kansas

The sculpture cost between $1,700 and $1,800 and honors all Union soldiers and sailors who fought and died during the Civil War. The project was carried out by G.A.R. post 132 of Junction City, which collected funds from 190 different sources. The sculpture was designed by architect F.A. Gardner of Fort Riley, Kansas. All work was performed by contractors and laborers from Junction City. Originally, there was to be a stand of rifles on one side of the sculpture and a cannon on the other side, but this plan was abandoned at the time of the dedication in favor of flanking stands of rifles. Subsequently, it was feared that the rifles might be blown off by the wind and they were removed. By 1908, the stands of rifles had been replaced by the replica mortars that are there today.

IAS files contain an article from Kansas Historical Collections 11 (1910): pg. 260; and articles from The Daily Union (Junction City), Oct. 30, 1897, Dec. 15, 1897, and Sept. 8, 1898; The Republican, Sept. 16, 1898; the Junction City Union, Mar. 2, 1939; and the Junction City Republic, June 25, 1980. For further reading see: George Martin, "Memorial Monuments and Tablets of Kansas," vol. 11 of Kansas Historical Collections, 1910. A file on the sculpture can be found at the Geary County Historical Society (Junction City, Kansas).

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Kansas survey, 1995.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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