Iowa City - Camp Pope Plaque GPS Coordinates: 41.653666 by -91.518050

This is the site of Camp Pope, a Civil War training camp in Iowa City. The plaque was placed in 1926. Today it is in the playground area of Longfellow School. It is in the central part of the city at 1130 Seymour Avenue. Photos taken 8/3/20.

Iowa City - General John Corse Memorial Bridge GPS Coordinates: 41.646389 by -91.536670

Highway 6 runs coast-to-coast and is named the Grand Army of the Republic Highway. The Iowa SUVCW has named 11 bridges on the Highway after Iowa CW Generals. There are also 29 GAR Highway markers across the state - an example is listed under Oakland in Pottawattamie County. This bridge is named after General John Corse, a native of Burlington, Iowa. He is best known for holding the fort at Allatoona Pass on October 5, 1864. He commanded the Federal Troops that successfully held off an intense Confederate attack. Also see the statue of Corse under Burlington in Des Moines County. The bridge crosses the Iowa River on Highway 6 on the south side of Iowa City. The photo was taken 5/12/12.

Iowa City - Courthouse Monuments GPS Coordinates: 41.656100 by -91.534933

There are two similar monuments flanking the steps at the Johnson County Courthouse. The one on the left of the steps has General John Logan’s Memorial Day Order of 1868. The one on the right has Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. The monuments blend in with the impressive courthouse. The courthouse is just south of the business district on Clinton and Court Streets. The first two photos were taken 8/24/10 The photo of the small plaque above the Memorial Day Order was taken 8/3/20. In 2015 a wonderful old photo of the S.U.I. Battery was received - thanks to Danny Krock for sending this.

Iowa City - Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood Gravesite GPS Coordinates: 41.670683 by -91.519916

Samuel Kirkwood (1813-1894) served as Iowa's War Governor from 1860-64. He was supportive of President Lincoln's policies and was very successful in raising troops to aid the war effort. During the siege at Vicksburg, he visited the many Iowa regiments on duty there. He moved from Ohio to Coralville, Iowa in 1855. He was elected to two terms as Governor and served from 1860-64. He was elected to another term in 1876 - he resigned to become a Senator from 1877 to 1881. He also served for a brief time as Secretary of the Interior in the Garfield Administration. While not in politics, he practiced law and was a bank president. He is buried in Oakland Cemetery on the NE side of the city - turn right or east off Governor Street onto Brown Street to the cemetery. At the office, look slightly left at the top of the hill and you can see the distinctive memorial with the large granite ball. Photos taken 8/3/20. Also refer to the sculpture of him at the Vicksburg National Park.

Iowa City - Grand Army Tree Plaque GPS Coordinates: 41.672633 by -91.537416

A tree was planted and this plaque was dedicated by the WRC in 1929 in City Park on the north side of Iowa City. Unfortunately the tree is not living but the plaque and boulder remain in good condition. To find this memorial, go to the upper entrance of City Park off Park Road - then follow the road around the swimming pool and the plaque is near log cabins. The first photo was taken 6/30/09 - the second one 8/3/20.

Iowa City - Living Tree Monument GPS Coordinates: 41.669800 by -91.522166

Oakland Cemetery has a living tree monument, dedicated on May 30, 1896, in the GAR Section of the Cemetery. The second photo shows the monument in the background with the “Wreaths across America” program which eventually plans to put a wreath by every veteran’s tombstone over the holidays. There are 27 CW Veterans buried nearby. There is also a plaque dedicated by the Daughters of Union Veterans. Oakland Cemetery is on the north side of town – turn right (east) off Governor Street onto Brown Street to the entrance. The monument is directly right of the entrance by the flagpole. The winter photo was taken 1/5/08, the living tree photo on 8/24/10 and the photos of the plaque on 8/3/20.