Civil War Monuments

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The Civil War Monuments grouped landmark calls attention to that significant national event’s history through the erection and dedication of statues honoring those involved in the Civil War. While most of the monuments listed are dedicated to Union-supporting figures like Generals William Tecumsah Sherman and Phillip H. Sheridan, one monument to Confederate General Albert Pike is also included. The 18 memorials recognize various aspects of the Civil War, specifically its significant leaders, but some of the memorials recognize the war’s legacy and aftermath.

View all 18 monuments here.

Similarly to the American Revolutionary Statuary, many of the monuments were paid for by the federal government, but some had organizations and individuals that advocated for or funded certain statues’ creation. Throughout the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the continued erection of Civil War-related monuments indicated the enduring memory of the war’s impact, with focused efforts on remembering the individuals and groups that affected its outcome.

Many of the monuments were designed by well-known European and American artists in realistic forms. In this, the monuments represent not only the historic significance of their subjects, but also the artistic style and beauty of nineteenth and twentieth century sculpture. The monuments’ erection in DC made a significant statement on how the United States remembered the Civil War and those involved in it, as well as the commitment to creating public art within the nation’s capital.

The Civil War Monuments grouped landmark sites are all located in public parks and are currently owned and maintained by the National Parks Service.

DC Inventory: March 3, 1979
National Register: September 20, 1979