This is one of the most fantastic monuments built at Gettysburg which doubles as a Civil War memorial and as a peace memorial as well. It was dedicated on July 4, 1938.
This monument Honors both North & South. Represents "Peace Eternal in a Nation United." Dedicated 75th Anniversary Reunion of blue & gray w/ address by Pres. Roosevelt. Reliefs by Lee Lawrie. Located N side of Mummasburg Rd.
The eternal light peace memorial is a contributing feature to the Gettysburg National Military Park Historic District which is nationally significant under NR Criteria A, B, C & D. Areas of Significance: Military, Politics/Government, Landscape Architecture, Conservation, Archeology-Historic. Period of Significance: 1863-1938. The original National Register Nomination was approved by the Keeper March 19, 1975. An update to this nomination was approved by the Keeper on January 23, 2004.
From the nomination form:
Short Physical Description:
Mn 42'x85'overall. 40' tall shaft rising from center of an elevated platform 11'. Bronze dish-shaped urn caps shaft to accomodate "eternal flame". Exedra at rear of platform. 8' bas-relief on S of shaft. Inscritpions on S, E & W.
Long Physical Description:
The dark colored stone base is constructed of Maine granite and the lighter colored shaft of Alabama Rockwood Limestone.
From my previous waymark:
The memorial is huge as it is amazing. The memorial is built up on a hill so it offers a fantastic view of the battlefield. There are interpretives, markers and small monuments scattered about the immediate area. The burning flame sits up high on a tower of sorts and is the jewel of this monument. There is also beautiful relief art which is absolutely eye-popping.
For the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, in 1938, of the 8,000 known living veterans of the war, 1,845 veterans were able (1,359 from the North and 486 from the South) attended the dedication of this monument. Of all the men tat attended, only 65 of them had been at the battle. Their average age was 94 and special arrangements had to be made to care for these elderly men. The highlight of this reunion was of course the lighting of the eternal flame and dedication of the Eternal Light Peace Memorial on Oak Hill by President Franklin D. Roosevelt the evening of July 3. Can you imagine, standing in the presence of men who fought in the Civil War, 75 years ago! WOW!
Many artists and workers were employed in this undertaking. The architect was Paul Philippe Cret (1876-1945). The sculptor was Lee Oskar Lawrie (1877-1963) and the contractor used in the construction of the structure was the George A. Fuller Company. The monument is made of Alabama limestone and bronze and the platform consists of crab orchard flagstone. Overall the dimensions are a whopping and approximate 40 x 42 x 85 ft.; the shaft which supports the flame is approximately 40 feet in height; the relief is approximately 8 feet in height; finally, the platform is approximately L. 85 ft. x W. 42 ft. This thing is huge!!!
I found the following inscriptions:
"Eternal Light Peace Memorial. Dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the observance of the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 3, 1938"
"An enduring light to guide us in unity and fellowship."
and...
"With firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right. - Lincoln"
The memorial's $60,000 cost was provided by donations from state both north and south. Its base is made of Maine granite, while the shaft is of a lighter colored Alabama limestone. The gas-lit eternal flame burned until 1979 when it was replaced by electricity, but it was restored in 1988. The monument was the inspiration for the eternal flame on President Kennedy's grave at Arlington National Cemetery.
The Smithsonian page describes this monument as a tall square shaft rising from the center of a stone platform is topped by a bronze urn for an eternal flame. On the south face of the shaft is a relief symbolizing peace and good will as it now exists between the north and south of the nation. It features two embracing female figures holding a wreath while an eagle stands at their feet.
I found the following HERE. The memorial was dedicated by President Franklin Roosevelt on July 3rd, 1938, the 75th anniversary of the battle. One Union and one Confederate veteran unveiled the 47 1/2 foot tall shaft. Roosevelt compared the task of the men of the 1860's with the men of his day: "All of them we honor, not asking under which Flag they fought then - thankful that they stand together under one Flag now." In less than five years the sons and grandsons of these veterans would be standing together in unimaginably terrible battles against enemies around the world.
Finally, a final word from the Smithsonian page: The memorial was designed by architect Paul Philippe Cret and the relief on the front was created by Lee Oskar Lawrie. The cost of the memorial was $50,000 which was raised through contributions by Civil War veterans from Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wisconsin, Illinois, Tennessee, New York, and Indiana. The memorial was dedicated by Franklin Roosevelt during the Civil War veterans 75th anniversary reunion of the blue and gray on July 3, 1938. During the ceremony, a Union veteran and a Confederate veteran ignited the gas-fed eternal flame at the top of the shaft. The flame was extinguished during the energy crisis of the early 1970s, but was relit briefly during the bicentennial. In 1978, the flame was replaced with a sodium vapor light.