Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument: Civil War History on US Route 6
Travelers following historic US Route 6 through downtown Cleveland pass directly through one of the city’s most historically significant places, Public Square. Standing prominently in the southeast corner is the Cuyahoga County Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument, a remarkable memorial to the men and women of Cuyahoga County whose service helped preserve the Union during the Civil War.
For travelers interested in American history, architecture, military history and the story behind the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, this is a particularly appropriate stop along US Route 6.
A Monument Along US Route 6
The connection to US Route 6 could hardly be more direct. US Route 6 follows Superior Avenue through Cleveland’s Public Square before continuing east through the city.
That means travelers following US Route 6 can experience an important Civil War memorial without making a significant detour from their journey.
The monument is located at:
3 Public Square
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
Admission to the monument is free. Public Square identifies the monument as free to the public, and the monument’s official website currently lists daily hours of 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Travelers should verify hours before visiting because schedules can change.
Official Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument website
Remembering Cuyahoga County’s Civil War Service
The idea for a monument honoring Cuyahoga County’s Union veterans dates to 1879, when William J. Gleason proposed the project at a meeting of the Camp Barnett Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Society.
The eventual design combined two ideas: a traditional monument rising into the skyline and an enclosed memorial space at its base. Civil War veteran, architect and sculptor Levi T. Scofield played the central role in developing the design.
Construction began in 1891 after considerable debate and legal disputes over placing the monument in Public Square. It was finally dedicated on July 4, 1894. The dedication celebration included an enormous parade and an opening address by William McKinley, who would become president of the United States in 1897.
More than 130 years later, the monument remains one of Cleveland’s most recognizable historic landmarks.
Look Up Before You Go Inside
The monument rises approximately 125 feet above Public Square.
At the top of the column stands the Goddess of Freedom, while four dramatic bronze groupings surrounding the monument represent the principal branches of Civil War service: Infantry, Artillery, Cavalry and Navy.
These are not simply decorative statues. The designers deliberately depicted soldiers and sailors in action rather than formal parade poses. The result gives visitors a much more immediate impression of the dangers experienced by those who served.
The monument incorporates more than 100 tons of cast bronze, making its sculptures and decorative elements an impressive collection of 19th-century public art as well as an important historical record.
Take some time to walk completely around the exterior before going inside. Each side reveals something different.
Don’t Miss the Memorial Room
The interior is one of the reasons this should be more than a quick photo stop.
Inside the Memorial Room are four large bronze relief sculptures depicting:
- The Women’s Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Aid Society
- The Beginning of the War in Ohio
- The Emancipation of the Slaves
- The End of the War at City Point, Virginia
Visitors will also find busts and other memorial features honoring people connected with Cuyahoga County’s Civil War experience.
The monument’s stated mission goes beyond remembering military service. It seeks to educate visitors about the nature of the Civil War while honoring the Cuyahoga County men and women whose military, political and patriotic service helped preserve the Union and end slavery.
That educational mission makes the monument particularly worthwhile for families traveling with school-age children.
Search for a Civil War Ancestor
One especially interesting feature for genealogy researchers is the monument’s record of honored veterans.
The official monument website provides an online Honored Veterans Listed by Name resource. If your family has roots in northeastern Ohio and you know of an ancestor who served during the Civil War, consider searching the database before your visit.
Search the monument’s honored veterans
Finding a family name before walking into the Memorial Room could transform a sightseeing stop into a personal connection with American history.
A Fitting Stop on the Grand Army of the Republic Highway
There is another reason this location belongs on a US Route 6 travel itinerary.
US Route 6 is officially known as the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, honoring the Union veterans organization formed following the Civil War.
Here in Cleveland, travelers following that highway can stand inside a monument created specifically to remember local Union soldiers and sailors.
The highway and monument therefore tell complementary parts of the same American story.
One remembers Civil War veterans across a transcontinental highway.
The other preserves the names and stories of veterans from one Ohio community.
Make Public Square Part of Your Cleveland Stop
The monument also provides an excellent starting point for exploring downtown Cleveland.
Public Square is a 10-acre downtown park with lawns, gathering spaces and other visitor amenities. From here, travelers can continue exploring downtown attractions before returning to their journey along US Route 6.
Rather than simply driving through Cleveland, allow enough time to park, walk through Public Square, examine the monument’s exterior sculptures and visit the Memorial Room.
For photographers, the combination of monumental architecture, bronze sculptures and the surrounding Cleveland skyline provides plenty of possibilities.
For history enthusiasts, the attraction offers something even more valuable: an opportunity to connect the history of US Route 6 with the Civil War veterans commemorated by the Grand Army of the Republic Highway.
Plan Your Visit
Cuyahoga County Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument
3 Public Square
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
Current posted hours: Daily, 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Admission: Free
Plan your visit at the official monument website
When planning your next journey through Ohio on historic US Route 6, consider spending some time in Cleveland’s Public Square.
The Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument is not simply something to see through the windshield. It is a place to stop, walk around, go inside and better understand the history behind the highway you’re traveling.
For anyone exploring the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, few stops could be more appropriate.
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