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This Civil War monument in Sheboygan County isn’t exactly where it was intended to be | Throwback Thursday

Sheboygan Press

TOWN OF RHINE - Shortly after the Civil War, residents in the Town of Rhine decided to remember forever the 115 young men of the township who joined the Union Army by funding a monument. Of that number, 23 did not return and are buried elsewhere.

Relatives of the fallen soldiers were the prime movers of the monument project. The township had sent a high percentage of her young men to answer the call of duty to the Union. The monument is similar to one constructed a bit earlier in Grant County. It has been said the Rhine monument was the second one of its type in the state.

According to records from Beth Dippel of the Sheboygan County Historical Research Center, in April 1867 the town board voted to raise $1,000 to build a monument to honor the soldiers who served in battle.

An early drawing, likely from the late 1860s depicts the Town of Rhine Civil War monument.

Originally, the plan was to have the monument stand on the prominent hill between County Road FF and Rhine Center, a fraction of a mile north of the present location. The reason the monument didn't get to the hill is because of bad roads. At the time, the horses were tired, the drivers exhausted and the night was upon them. So the wagons stopped at the present location. The teams then walked home.

On July 5, 1868, a ceremony was performed in both German and English to celebrate the completion of the monument.

Through the years, vandals caused some damage. The bronze guardian eagle and one of the two Civil War canons were stolen. A cast iron eagle replaced the bronze model atop the monument.

In 1961, the town board moved to protect the site against county highway encroachments. In 1965, the monument was refurbished and restored. During that process, some 1,300 letters were re-engraved and the guardian eagle was cleaned and lacquered.

Later, in 1968, a special 100th anniversary observance was held on Memorial Day.

Today, the monument stands proudly nestled in its lot, seemingly protected by tall trees that surround the memorial.

To see the image larger, click here.

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