One of the many reasons to visit a cemetery is for its historic sights. For over 150 years, Oak Grove Cemetery in La Crosse, WI, has been home to statues and monuments commemorating the history of the area. One of the most distinctive is a Civil War monument dedicated to the soldiers who served.

History

Over 100 years ago, Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) members from the Wilson Colwell Post in La Crosse began to promote the idea of a monument to honor the area's Civil War veterans. On Memorial Day of 1913, the cemetery monument was dedicated in a ceremony, which included the GAR and attendees from the surrounding city and beyond. In 1916, the monument was improved with the addition of two Civil War cannons on either side.

Description

The central figure of the monument is a life-sized granite statue of a mustached Civil War soldier, leaning on a rifle held in both hands and standing atop a pedestal. Inside this pedestal is a box containing the names of the monument's creators and all those who planned and executed the idea. Flanking the statue are the two cannons, 1,200-pound weapons of solid brass that were once used to fire four different types of ammunition up to a mile across a battlefield. Both sides of the Civil War used this type of cannon extensively.

If you'd like to take a walk through the history of La Crosse and honor the brave men who fought for the Union, visit Oak Grove Cemetery for a tour. Their beautiful, historic, and well-maintained GAR Monument is only one of the many sights you'll find here. For questions about the cemetery or their self-guided walking tour, get in touch at (608) 782-6956 or visit their Facebook page.