Watertown honors the sacrifice of its Civil War veterans with a 1908 monument rising above DeForest Street (Route 6).
The monument features a round granite column topped by a bronze eagle. The front (southeast) face of the shaft is decorated with three wreaths and two flags rising above the dates of the Civil War. The dedication, carved into granite, reads: “In commemoration of the patriotism and valor of the men of Watertown who, in the hour of peril, offered their lives that the republic might live, thus winning the gratitude of their fellow-citizens, the admiration of succeeding generations and a place among the nation’s heroes; this monument is erected that their example may serve as an inspiration to heroic deeds in all coming time.”
Three bronze plaques on the monument base bear about 104 names (some of which are now difficult to discern) and regimental affiliations. One of the units, the 29th, was comprised primarily of African-American volunteers, and the Watertown monument was one of the first in the state to highlight their service (the unit is also honored with a monument in Danbury that was profiled in late April and a monument in New Haven that we haven’t visited yet).
Atop the monument, a bronze eagle sits on a sphere. The column is also topped by decorative ornamentation, as well as United States shields on each of its four faces.
Large evergreens that surrounded the base when the monument was examined by the Connecticut Historical Society have since been replaced by tasteful shrubbery.
Across the street, the town dedicated a monument in 1921 to honor its World War I veterans. The boulder bears two bronze plaques , as well as a plaque commemorating the four local residents killed in Vietnam.
The vintage postcard below does not have a postmark. The view behind the monument has not changed substantially over the years. We tried to duplicate the image, but between Route 6 traffic and unfavorable light, weren’t able to.
Source:
Connecticut Historical Society: Civil War Monuments of Connecticut
Tags: Watertown