75th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg Marker - Gettysburg, PA - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

There is a small, bronze marker in front of the Eternal Light Peace Memorial which celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, highlighted by the dedication of this beautiful monument. The monument is square, about 4 inches by 6 inches, now green with age. It is mounted on a small concrete base which rises up about half a foot. This important sign of history reads:

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. 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!!!

The actual anniversary marker is in front of and to the left of the monument. The Battle of Gettysburg was a decisive turning point for the Union Army which would eventually vanquish the Confederate. The great battle lasted three days, from July 1 to July 3, 1863. At the conclusion of the battle, thousands of dead soldiers were strewn over every battlefield in this small town. As a consequence of so many dead soldiers, a National Cemetery was built to bury all the dead, which was eventually dedicated later that year and attended by Lincoln who then delivered the famous Gettysburg Address.

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.