Towards a Better Understanding / Remembering the Fallen

In 1851, boys playing along the banks of the Wabash River discovered the bones of many buried soldiers from the Battle of the Wabash. The bones were exhumed, and on September 10, 1851, the remains were buried in 13 coffins in Pioneer Cemetery. In 1891, the soldiers' remains were moved to this monument site, where they were buried and enclosed by wood and iron for 20 years. In 1908, President William Howard Taft authorized construction of a monument to honor the soldiers of Major General Arthur St. Clair and Major General Anthony Wayne. Construction began in early 1912, and a crypt was prepared in the concrete foundation for the final interment of the fallen soldiers, making Monument Park both a memorial and a military cemetery. The monument was dedicated on July 1, 1913, before several thousand people, with dignitaries and local officials among the speakers. The monument stands more than 101 feet tall, used an estimated 800 tons of granite, concrete, and other materials, and cost $23,700 in 1913, equivalent to over a half million dollars in 2017. The speech excerpt and monument plaques reflect attitudes of 1913; today, American Indians' efforts to protect their homelands are more fully appreciated, the U.S. government's complete disregard for American Indian treaties at that time is recognized, and words once used for American Indians, as well as the monument's references only to U.S. losses, can be offensive to many people, including American Indians. The Fort Recovery Museum works with American Indian partners to educate patrons and visitors on current American Indian thoughts and concerns about this shared history.

Fort Recovery, Ohio · United States