Civil War Memorial

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="052085a3.jpg"> <div> <B>Grand Rapids Historical Society</B><B> </B><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Papyrus" ><B>   </B><B> </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Papyrus" ><B>|     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Rapids Historical Society"><U><B>home</B></U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Features"><U>Back to the </U></A><A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Features"><U><B>Features</B></U></A><A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Features"><U> Page</U></A></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="05507073.jpg"> <div> <B>Civil War Memorial</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Kent County Civil War Memorial </B></div> <div> <B>Restoration & Rededication Ceremony</B></div> <div> October 4, 2003</div> <bR> <div> -  by Bruce B. Butgereit</div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="935" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 317 ><NOBR><div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="267" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#663300" BORDERCOLORDARK="#996633" FRAME="HSIDES" RULES="ROWS" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 239 ><NOBR><bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="0aafa9a0.png" border=0 width="250" height="154" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="306"><div> While the Grand Rapids skyline seems ever changing, and progress includes a new arena, a convention center, and discussions on a new City Hall and entertainment district, for a brief moment, the hands of time were turned back at small forgotten park in the heart of downtown.</div> <bR> <div> On Saturday, October 4, 2003 in Monument Park (located at the intersection of Division Avenue and Fulton Street), a crowd of over 600 witnessed the rededication of one of our Nation's most historic Civil War Monuments.  This Monument, made of "white bronze" or zinc, was the first Civil War monument to pay tribute to the efforts of women during the war and the first Civil War Monument to include a fountain.  </div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="267" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#663300" BORDERCOLORDARK="#996633" FRAME="HSIDES" RULES="ROWS" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 231 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="08efae10.png" border=0 width="250" height="225" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 651 WIDTH="313"><bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Dedicated on September 17, 1885 the Kent County Civil War Monument honors the 4,214 men that served in the Civil War from Kent County and the over 600 that died as a result of the war.  Newspaper accounts of the day talk of a two-mile parade with over 3,000 veterans and a crowd of 30,000 to 50,000 in attendance to witness the event.  Famed cavalry general, Philip Sheridan was the guest of honor.</div> <bR> <div> Over the next 115-years, the Monument was once moved 150 feet to allow for the widening of the roads, painted numerous times (the last color being blue in 1953), the fountains allowed to dry up and our soldier eventually became forgotten; a silent sentinel to a people who knew or cared little of what it represented.</div> <bR> <div> On Memorial Day 2000, the Gen. John A. Logan Camp No. 1, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War kicked off an effort to raise $250,000 for the complete restoration of the historic treasure.  The funds raised were going to allow the Monument to be dismantled and sent to the Karkadoulias Bronze Art, Inc. in Cincinnati, OH where the layers of paint would be safely removed, all cracks and holes repaired, a stainless-steel inner structure created to support the weight of the 6.5 ton Monument, the fountains repaired and a protective sealant applied to both the interior and exterior of the Monument.  After three years of fundraising, on August 10, 2003 the goal was reached.</div> <bR> <div> The 2-hour ceremony was crafted following the exact program of 1885.  On October 4, the words of Thomas Gilbert (the first man to think of the memorial in 1864), </div> <bR> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="088fa2b0.png" border=0 width="250" height="555" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="300"><div>  </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Gen. Byron R. Pierce and Major C.W. Watkins were heard once again. </div> <div> The Schubert Male Chorus (established in 1883), which sang at the original dedication, returned for what I called, "The Schubert Encore…118 Years Later," and sang <I>The Battle Hymn of the Republic</I> and <I>This Is My Country</I>.</div> <bR> <div> It was a fitting ceremony for heroes.  The Monument is a beautiful silver-blue-gray, the color of zinc when freshly cast.  There were flags and men in blue and gray as well as women in hoop skirts.  Both young and old attended, including Michigan's only two known men who can claim their father fought in the Civil War, Mr. Harold Becker and Mr. Edward Blakely, both of Kent County.  The honor of turning on the fountains was given to Mr. Blakely, who will turn 100 this December as it had been his three year dream to stand where his father had stood in 1885.</div> <bR> <div> With the flip of a switch, the water began splashing and we had made sure that the words of Major Watkins, "…That as long as grass grows and water runs, the deeds of the soldiers will be kept fresh and green in the hearts of the people," rang true.</div> <bR> <div> The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War is a national organization and the legal heirs to the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR).  Our purpose is to "keep green the memory" of the soldier who wore the Blue in the Civil War.  This we accomplish through many avenues with our Civil War Memorials and Graves Registration programs leading the way.</div> <bR> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 333 ><NOBR><bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="246" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#660000" BORDERCOLORDARK="#993300" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 280 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="089c8ff0.png" border=0 width="200" height="255" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <B>MR. EDWARD BLAKELY</B></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="306"><div> A CLOSING NOTE:</div> <bR> <div> On Tuesday, October 28, 2003 "True Son" Mr. Edward Blakely passed away at the age of 99, just six weeks from his 100th birthday.  Mr. Blakely had been the first citizen to donate to the Monument's restoration and became a member of the Gen. John A. Logan Camp No. 1 in 2000 and served actively as the Chair of the Kent County Civil War Monument Restoration Project Committee.  He very often wore a replica cavalry shell jacket with Corporal stripes just as his father wore in his honor.</div> <bR> <div> Strongly devoted to this effort, he faithfully attended hundreds of events and traveled thousands of miles to help raise funds.  In 2001, when the funds were coming in slowly, he commented that, "It is my desire to live long enough to see the Monument rededicated and to stand where my father did in 1885." </div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="300"><bR> <bR> <bR> <div>  Mr. Blakely's father, Egbert Blakely, had served </div> <div> in the 10th Michigan Cavalry and the 10th held their reunion meetings on September 16 and 17, 1885 </div> <div> and participated in the dedication ceremonies.  </div> <bR> <bR> <div> On October 4, God granted his wish.  The funeral took place Saturday, November 1 and we said goodbye to one of our community's most beloved patriots; he was wearing his cavalry jacket, with the Monument rededication ceremony button and ribbon still attached and his kepi.  It seemed that completing his work on the Monument was more important than reaching the age of 100.</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="610" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 283 WIDTH="264"><div> <B>FOR MORE INFORMATION, </B></div> <div> <B>VISIT THESE WEBSITES:</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>NATIONAL</B></div> <div>   <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Tahoma" ><A HREF="http://www.suvcw.org/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.suvcw.org/"><U><U>www.suvcw.org</U></U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>DEPARTMENT OF MICHIGAN</B></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.suvcw.org/mi/deptmi.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.suvcw.org/mi/deptmi.htm"><U><U>www.suvcw.org/mi/deptmi.htm</U></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <B>GEN. JOHN A. LOGAN     CAMP NO 1: </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Tahoma" ><A HREF="http://www.suvcw.org/mi/001home.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.suvcw.org/mi/001home.html"><U><U>www.suvcw.org/mi/001home.html</U></U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>THE MONUMENT</B></div> <div>  <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Tahoma" ><A HREF="http://www.civilwarmonument.org/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.civilwarmonument.org/"><U><U>www.civilwarmonument.org</U></U></A></FONT></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="12" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="246" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#993300" BORDERCOLORDARK="#CC6633" FRAME="BOX" RULES="COLS" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 153 WIDTH="214"><div> <B>MONUMENT FACTOID</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When workers began to disassemble the monument for restoration, they discovered that the monument was NOT bolted to the ground!  The monument had stood for 118 years - </B><I><B>UNSECURED!</B></I></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="283" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 45 WIDTH="277"><div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Tahoma" ><B>A PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION OF THIS PAGE IS AVAILABLE BY CLICKING </B></FONT><B> <a href="HTMLobj-172/GRHS CWM.doc"><u>HERE</u> </a>  </B><B>.</B></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>