Top 8 Civil War Monuments In Wisconsin

Often, when thinking of the Civil War in the United States, and especially when considering memorials, historic sites, and other attractions that are imperative for both historians and citizens, people tend to think of states such as Pennsylvania or Virginia, or other states where prominent conflicts took place. However, in the Civil War’s aftermath, one of the most culturally rich and beautifully commemorative states has been Wisconsin, whose plethora of memorials, monuments, and displays concerning the Civil War amount to nothing short of striking in their scope and reverent beauty.

Wisconsin State Memorial

Erected in 1911 and sculpted by Julius Loestrer, this large and majestic monument commemorates the over 9,000 Wisconsin troops that fought at the Battle of Vicksburg. The impressive pillar, standing at just over 120 feet tall, is topped with a bronze sculpture of the 8th Wisconsin Infantry’s mascot, “Old Abe,” an eagle. At a cost of nearly $100,000, this awe-inspiring piece is one of the most expensive Civil War memorials in the United States. At the base of the monument, a plaque depicts a Union soldier and a Confederate soldier holding hands in a symbolic gesture of unity. A commemoration of both the lives lost in the war and the peace reached in its aftermath, this gorgeous testament is one of the more moving Civil War monuments in the country.

Winged Victory

This 61-foot granite column resides at the beautiful Library Park in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The extraordinary monument was presented to the city in May of 1900 by politician and local businessman Zalmon G. Simmons. At the top of the memorial is an intricate and detailed statue of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, also known as “Winged Victory.” The central column of the piece, held up by a nearly 30-foot base, stands at 60 feet by itself. Deemed the most significant piece of granite imported to Wisconsin, the piece, upon its unveiling, was met with attendance by thousands of soldiers, veterans, and average citizens to behold the spectacle, and as soldiers marched in a parade throughout the city, the U.S.S. Michigan, parked in Kenosha Harbor, rattled off celebratory gunfire for the occasion.

Two Rivers Monument

Also presented in the summer of 1900, this Manitowoc County monument is a fixture of Two Rivers Central Park. Birthplace of the ice cream sundae, Two Rivers collected funds for the erection of the monument both from the community and from Joseph Rankin Post #219 of the Grand Army of the Republic, who proposed the undertaking of the project in the first place. Constructed from a thick granite base under which an eight-foot bronze soldier stands in stoic command, this monument is one of the most captivating in the state.

Lancaster Civil War Memorial

This unique memorial, located in Grant County, southwestern Wisconsin, was erected in 1867. Made to commemorate and cement the legacy of the local community’s soldiers who fought in the Civil War, this monument comprises a 26-foot marble column topped with a beautiful statuette of a laurel-bearing eagle. Engraved throughout the memorial’s centerpiece are the names of all the local Civil War veterans, and surrounding the central column are eight smaller pillars bearing the names of the hundreds of local soldiers who died in the conflict. The memorial was made possible through community fundraising done by the city of Lancaster, and the community raised over $100,000 (adjusted for inflation) to bring the piece to life.

Sheboygan County Civil War Memorial

First unveiled in the autumn of 1889, this grand memorial is made entirely of granite, weighing approximately 80 tons. Tastefully and beautifully adorned from top to bottom, this commanding and looming commemoration is topped with an incredible statue of a Union soldier standing with arms and full uniform and regalia. The memorial has an elaborate and lavish base, which bears an engraving of dedication. When first presented to the city of Sheboygan, the unveiling ceremony was attended by over 20,000 locals, and Senator Col. John C. Spooner gave a speech to inaugurate the memorial. The intended impact of the monument was to, with hope, not forget those who died in the fight, and this immaculate display certainly carries that remembrance with it.

Carthage College Monument

This staggering display, located in the city of Kenosha at Carthage College, comprises two life-size bronze statues beautifully sculpted and detailed. The first of these impressive statues features President Abraham Lincoln, standing tall and gesticulating. The second statue shows a sitting John Hay, Lincoln’s trusted secretary. John Hay sits while giving Lincoln an attentive ear. The two-statue display, sculpted by local sculptor Michael Martino in 1997, resides outside of the college’s David A. Straz Building and serves as one of the most breathtaking displays and lovely spectacles in the world of Civil War monuments.

Simmons Library Park Monument

Also located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and also a prominent feature of Lincoln in terms of Civil War monuments, this statue was erected and dedicated to Simmons Library Park in 1909. The memorial features a large, broad base made entirely of granite, bearing a single, simple engraving on its face. Atop the granite base sits a significant bronze recreation of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln is seated forward with one leg crossed in apparent contemplation. At the time, the monument cost over $6,000 to create and was placed in the front lawn of Simmons Library. In 1927, on Memorial Day, the last of Kenosha’s local Civil War veterans, only five in number, gathered together to take a photo in front of the monument.

E.B. Wolcott Monument

One of the state’s finest and most intricate Civil War monuments, located in Lake Park (Milwaukee), the E.B. Wolcott monument was erected in the summer of 1920 and features a fine statue of Wolcott, who was a physician and military officer, atop his horse, Gunpowder. Both Wolcott and Gunpowder are made entirely of bronze as a single large sculpture, and they are displayed atop a large granite base that bears a dedication to Wolcott, who was a universal leader and a staple of the Milwaukee community. Surrounding the monument is also a tiled terrace. When first erected, the monument also featured bronze eagle statues on either side; however, the memorial was vandalized, and the eagles were stolen. Francis Packer sculpted the piece and is widely admired for its beauty and excellent craftsmanship.

For historians and the average interested citizen alike, these monuments of the Civil War are sure to have a lasting and profound impact, if not shape one's perspective on the conflict as a whole. In the fight for the nation’s complete liberty and the thankful victory of the Union, these monuments and memorials help us in understanding and appreciating the state of the Union in the aftermath of the War, while also remembering and taking to heart all that was lost in the struggle for the liberty therein attained.