Agency - Civil War Soldier - GPS Coordinates: 40.991783 by -92.307733

This is a nice monument in the Agency cemetery. It is granite and about 18 feet high. Names of soldiers are on the side panels of the monument - included are unknown soldiers buried in the South and veterans of the Mexican War.  Agency is just south of Highway 34. Follow Hazel Street south of town to the cemetery. The first photo was taken 8/6/10 - others taken 8/14/19.

Chillicothe - Memorial to Oldest Civil War Soldier - GPS Coordinates: 41.097566 by -92.519966

Curtis King, age 80, was a member of the Iowa 37th Infantry Regiment, the famed “Graybeard Regiment.” It is believed that he was the oldest Civil War soldier. He served several months and was discharged for disability in March 1863. He farmed near Chillicothe. He was married twice and had a very large family. This memorial has his tombstone and a plaque. It is located about 7 miles south of Eddyville on the south side of Highway 63. Watch for a sign “Historical Marker.” The first three photos were taken 9/25/18. The final photo was taken 4/19/13 at an SUVCW dedication ceremony at the gravesite.

Eddyville - Civil War Soldier in Park - GPS Coordinates: 41.155866 by -92.635183

This is a restored 12 foot Civil War monument in the city park in Eddyville. There are names of soldiers from the area inscribed on four sides of the base. It is said the monument was built shortly after the war and then rebuilt in 1911. The final photo shows the "before" condition of the monument. Fortunately, under the leadership of David Lamb and the work of sculptor Rick Stewart, the musket and hand were restored, the monument was cleaned and the names are now legible. It is located on Main Street and S Third Street one block south of the business district. Subsequently, a black granite tablet was erected with names of the soldiers. The photos were taken 9/25/18 with the older photo taken 12/14/07.

Ottumwa - Civil War Soldier Wooden Sculpture - GPS Coordinates: 41.034366 by -92.408816

Thank you to John Richards of Ottumwa for sending a photo and information about this attractive monument. Here is what he wrote, "The statue is of a Civil War soldier with an American flag draped over his shoulder. The statue is a chainsaw carving by renowned Des Moines artist, Gary Keenan. It is about 11 feet tall and stands in our Civil War cemetery, a part of the Ottumwa Cemetery. The monument is made from a white oak tree estimated to be 250-300 years old which died from oak wilt fungus. We did not wish to lose a tree that was growing during the Civil War so I had the idea of making it into a sentry guarding his fallen comrades. The Ottumwa Arts Council became involved and the Legacy Foundation funded the project. Now the beautiful tree has been transformed into a monument honoring veterans past and present." The photo was taken 8/14/19.

Take Court Street North from the business district to the Ottumwa Cemetery. The monument is very visible from the street.

Ottumwa - Cannon Monument and Building at Cemetery - GPS Coordinates: 41.034366 by -92.408816

The Ottumwa Cemetery has a GAR section with a cannon monument and 54 CW tombstones. It also has an attractive building at the entrance dedicated to CW Veterans. The cannon is a 32 pounder Navy gun cast at Cyrus Alger & Co. in 1849. It is upright with a “cannonball” at the top. The building is an office/chapel that was completed in 1906 and was dedicated to Union Soldiers and Sailors of the CW. The building is in the SW corner of the cemetery while the cannon is on a road north from the building. The GPS setting is based on the cannon monument. The entrance is located at Court Street and Park Street - take Court Street north from the business district. The first two photos were taken 12/14/07 - the close-up photo was taken 8/14/19.

The newer wooden sculpture of a CW soldier is close to the cannon. Medal of Honor recipient Leonidas Godley is buried in this cemetery but not in the GAR section. Another Medal of Honor recipient, James Daniel Gardner, is buried in the Calvary Cemetery in Ottumwa. These are listed as separate monuments in Wapello County.

Ottumwa - Soldiers and Sailors Monument - GPS Coordinates: 41.019466 by -92.410833

This monument, also known as the Eagle Monument, is very striking with an eagle on top, four bas relief panels by David Edstrom and a bronze plaque with about 2400 Civil War soldiers from the county. David Edstrom lived in Ottumwa and later went on to become a world famous sculpture artist. The bas relief panels are titled – Going to war, Battle, Death, and Reconstruction. Also shown is one of four bronze panels - these are located just below the monument to the south. The monument is about 25 feet high and was erected in 1919. It is located in Central Park at the corner of Court and Fourth streets. It is across the street from the Wapello County courthouse which is shown in the background of the photo. Photos taken 12/14/07 and 8/13/19.