Review of the Confederate Monument in Front Royal, Virginia

I chose this monument located at Town Hall because it is in the center of my town and easy to spend time with. I also doubted anyone would travel as far as Front Royal to do this project. Knowing a bit of information makes it easier to live with. You also said you liked to find new monuments I figured you might now know about this one. It does not really have a name neither does the man on top of it. I feel that he is supposed to represent every soldier.

The monument is about forty feet tall. The Monument, carved completely from granite stone with iron plaques on each side. On the very top is a normal sized CSA soldier walking dragging his gun behind. The stone is smooth everywhere except where it meets the ground. It has a very nice visual effect. The location and monument are well maintained and clean. It is one of the nicer things in town and always has been. I think they chose granite because it contrasts with the courthouse behind in. The Court House is a natural stone color, a tad darker than stand stone. I feel the man is walking because he is coming home to Front Royal.

It is located in front of the Court House. All of our war monuments are located in front of the courthouse. In addition, each world war has a monument. In 1911, it was in the center of town and all life in Front Royal. It was on the very end of Main Street. Therefore, if you lived in Front Royal you would have to see this thing any time you went into town. It is still in the center of town main street is still very busy and the intersection ten feet from the site has most of the traffic in town. You can walk up to the site if you like; there is parking next to the courthouse making it very easy to visit.

It was unveiled in 1911 I cannot find anyone old enough to remember how long it took to build. The town does not seem to remember either because there are not any records on file. The commission came from the town and county. It is constructed to honor the men who fought for the CSA in the Civil War. Information on it is hard to find because our records department is not good. We have had the same records keeper for nearly 60 years and he let things fall apart. No website contains any information on it. A few civil war books show it as a source of inspiration, but provide no details. The Town and County commission monuments for every major war. The most information I could find was this:

"The Confederate Monument was dedicated on July 4, 1911 to commemorate the lives of some 600 Confederate soldiers from Warren County who fought in the Civil War." ("Attractions")

The courthouse itself has not at all the lawn is still the same except for the addition of smaller ww1 and ww2 monuments. All the old buildings remain, with new functions, but unchanged. Twenty years ago, they put in a new sidewalk leading to the courthouse. All pictures look the same as if nothing has changed.

I am used to driving by the thing nearly every day. It had been years since I walked up to it to view it. There is a lot of traffic near it, but when you are standing in front of it is very peaceful. The only people are those coming in and out of the courthouse, very few except for in the morning. Sharing the lawn besides a few small trees are small monuments for each world war. The only building is the courthouse. I am very relaxed and focused on the monument. I like to see that a town with such a bleak self-perception still when it comes down to it takes pride in something. The sick, injured, the wounded, and those who made it out fine. If you went in some day, you will get your name on something in front of the courthouse. I like to think that those men who fought did so for the idea of bravery and home. Ideas like that always make me feel humble and proud. That is the beauty of something as massive as this even if you do not like the monument it is still paramount one way or the other.

Works Cited

"Attractions." Front Royal and Warren County Home Page. 1998. shenvalley.com. 25 Apr. 2005 http://www.shenvalley.com/sv2/vacation/attractions.shtml>.