Soldiers' Monument
Also known as: Civil War Monument
Why it's listed
Rising 83 feet from the courthouse lawn in Freeport, Illinois, this limestone shaft honors the Civil War service of Stephenson County. Built of rough-cut Joliet limestone in three graduated sections, it was dedicated on July 4, 1871, before an estimated 20,000 people. Four figures representing the infantry, cavalry, artillery and navy sit at the corners of the base, and a 13-foot terra cotta and bronzed statue of Victory by sculptor Giovanni Meli once crowned the top. The original four figures were replaced in 1924, when bronze plaques naming all county veterans were also mounted over the worn marble panels. Lightning destroyed Victory in 1960. The monument was organized and funded by the Stephenson County Soldiers' Monument Association, led by John H. Addams, and it predates the 1870-1872 courthouse beside it. Veterans' parades and Memorial Day ceremonies have ended there for generations, which supports its local military and commemorative significance.
Significance in brief: The monument is locally significant under Criterion A for military history as the physical result of the Stephenson County Soldiers' Monument Association's effort to commemorate the county's Civil War service. It also meets the commemorative property consideration because it became the focus of local remembrance traditions. Changes in 1924 and the loss of the Victory statue in 1960 were judged not to destroy its integrity.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 98000461, listed June 1, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 15 N. Galena Ave., Freeport |
|---|---|
| County | Stephenson County |
| Listed | June 1, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98000461 |
| Resource type | Object |
| Period of significance | 1871-1948 |
| Architect / builder | Atkins, Gen. Smith D. (Designer); Upp, H. H. (Architect); Boedeker, A. (builder) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The statue of Victory was destroyed by lightning in 1960 and removed; the monument otherwise remains in place and is the site of Memorial Day ceremonies. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.29785, -89.62193 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 98000461.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q25206021
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.