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Found in Sutton Nebraska a Union Civil War monument from the GAR can be found resting on the edge of the city park. Started in the 1890’s by a local post of Union veterans the monument would not be completed until 2001 by local funding to finish the project started so long ago.

The base and final statue of the site

The base and final statue of the site

Morning photo taken Jan 02 2020

Morning photo taken Jan 02 2020

Showing the names and Organizations that helped to finish the site

Showing the names and Organizations that helped to finish the site

At the center of the site detailing the cannons

At the center of the site detailing the cannons

Upclose of one of the cannons

Upclose of one of the cannons

At the conclusion of the Civil War in 1865 many returning Union veterans would return home to join brotherhoods such as the Grand Army of the Republic. Much as VFW’s in the 21st Century where a place for veterans to gather to share stories and find solace together. The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) helped to raise awareness and tribute to the soldiers of the Union’s fight in the Civil War.

In Sutton the local GAR Post 19 began in the 1890’s to fund raise for the placement of a memorial monument to be placed in town. Their efforts extended to the request for cannons used by the Union Army where received and approved from the U.S. Army in 1900. The two cannons sit one on each side of the monument with replica cannonballs for display. The base was put in place in 1897 and went into a century of delay. Being noted in the 1917 Nebraska State Historical Society Publication. The site remained unfinished until completed in 2001 by contributors' efforts to finish the site.

*For note* I've been working with the local historical society with a Mr Jerry Johnson the President of the Sutton Historical Society to try and piece together more of the story. He did give me a list of names of those who helped to finish the project in the early 2000's but most have died or moved away with no contact info remaining. Mr Johnson has no idea why the site was not finished and can not recall seeing anything in the newspaper archives he has been shifting around in for his own projects in the area. I did send a request in the middle of December to the Nebraska Historical Society in Lincoln at the email HN.reference@nebraska.gov asking for any sources they had that lead them to add the site to their own website.

I've yet to receive anything from them. I did go and find a entry from 1917 by the Nebraska State Historical Society about how it was left unfinished with people sending letters to help with the site. I enjoyed getting to visit the site and see in person the cannons and speak Mr Johnson at the site but have found it very frustrating to find anything to use as cites and sources to fill out the missing 100 years of story. I'll be working on trying to see how I want to go forward with this as I believe their has to be a good story here yet, I can't seem to find it and the resault is making me struggle with the project.

“Historical Sites.” Nebraska State Historical Society 17 (January 1, 1917): 232–32.

"Sutton Pays Its Debt of Gratitude." Omaha World-Herald (NE), June 20, 2001

Humanities, National Endowment for the. “The McCook Tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, June 11, 1897, Image 6,” June 11, 1897.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Jeremy Heckathorn

Jeremy Heckathorn

Jeremy Heckathorn

Jeremy Heckathorn

Jeremy Heckathorn

Jeremy Heckathorn

Jeremy Heckathorn