Confederate-Union Veterans' Monument in Morgantown

The Confederate-Union Veterans' Monument in Morgantown is a Civil War memorial located at the courthouse grounds in Morgantown, Kentucky, honoring soldiers from both sides. A life-sized zinc statue of a Union soldier in uniform with rifle stands atop a twelve-foot pedestal, with the total structure rising about eighteen feet tall.

The monument was built in 1907 to honor veterans from Butler County who fought in the American Civil War. It was created during a period when communities sought to remember and preserve the past through public memorials of the conflict.

The pedestal displays portraits of key figures like Ulysses S. Grant and Abraham Lincoln alongside the names of local residents who served in the war. These inscriptions connect the monument to the community's own history and the people who lived through that time.

The memorial stands on the courthouse grounds and can be examined from all sides to view the inscriptions and portraits clearly. It is easy to locate and accessible, providing a good stopping point to learn about the local community's role in the Civil War.

This is one of only two monuments in Kentucky that honors both Union and Confederate soldiers rather than celebrating just one side. This dual recognition makes it a rare example of attempting to acknowledge both perspectives in remembering the war.

GPS coordinates: 37.22550,-86.68321

Latest update: December 14, 2025 17:02