Confederate Monument in Georgetown

The Confederate Monument in Georgetown is a granite obelisk that rises approximately 20 feet in the Georgetown Cemetery. Its surface features relief carvings depicting cannons, muskets, drums, flags, and other military equipment from the era.

The monument was constructed in 1888 by the Ladies Monument Association and women of Scott County as a memorial to their war dead. This effort led to the reburial of eighteen Confederate soldiers around the base of the obelisk.

The memorial reflects how this community chose to honor its fallen soldiers and represents a specific type of remembrance practiced across Kentucky after the war. Visitors can observe how the reburials and formal monument created a sacred space for collective memory.

The memorial is located within Georgetown Cemetery and is accessible to visitors during standard cemetery hours. It is helpful to know that the site is part of a larger cemetery, so orienting yourself before exploring may save time.

Two of the eighteen soldiers buried here were victims of Order 59, which mandated executions of captured Confederate prisoners in retaliation for Union civilian deaths. This lesser-known chapter of the war reveals tensions and harsh measures that characterized the conflict in this region.