The Soldiers and Sailors Monument is a Gothic Revival memorial that stands 43 feet (13 meters) tall in Penn Square in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. On July 4, 1874, it was consecrated in its current location on the northeast corner of King and Queen Streets. The initial purpose of the monument was to honor Lancastrian Union troops who died during the American Civil War. The Soldiers and Sailors Monument, however, now honors individuals who participated in succeeding American military engagements. The Lancaster Soldiers and Sailors Monument is topped by a 43-foot (13 m) tall Rhode Island rectangular granite pillar with a figure of a robed lady on a pedestal known as the “Genius of Liberty.” She faces north, allowing her, according to tradition, to turn her back on the fallen Confederate States of America during the Civil War . Near the foot of the granite shaft, statues of four men representing the four branches of the American armed forces encircle it. The United States Navy, United States Army, Artillery, and United States Cavalry are the four branches represented by the soldiers. The memorial’s central granite pillar is etched with the names of many Civil War battles, as the memorial’s initial goal was to remember those who died in that conflict. The Battle of Antietam, the Battle of Chickamauga, the Battle of Gettysburg, the Battle of Malvern Hill, the Battle of Petersburg, and the Battle of the Wilderness are among the battles commemorated. Since its completion, several bronze plaques honoring members of the American military services have been affixed to the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. One plaque honors the contributions of African Americans to the military. Other distinct plaques recognize people who died in World Wars I, II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf War. “Erected by the people of Lancaster County/ To the remembrance of their fellow citizens who fell /in defense of the Union /in the War of the Rebellion /1861–1865” is inscribed into the base of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. The concept for a memorial to Lancastrian Union troops fallen in battle arose soon after the American Civil War ended in 1865. Rosina Hubley, the chairwoman of a women’s civic group called the Patriot Daughters of Lancaster, was instrumental in securing money for the memorial. In December 1867, the Patriot Daughters of Lancaster sponsored a women’s fundraising fair sale at the neighboring Fulton Hall, now known as the Fulton Opera House, to help pay for the intended monument’s construction. The monument’s remaining finances were obtained either through military taxes and cash released by the Lancaster County Treasury, or through individual donations. At the time, the Soldiers and Sailors Monument was estimated to cost $26,000. Since April 2, 1973, the monument has been on the National Register of Historic Places.

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