Cardington Civil War Soldiers Monument

 Please use this website to learn more about the Cardington Civil War Soldiers Monument and information about each person listed on the monument.  The Personal War Sketches book was created in 1899 to document the service and death information of the soldier's and sailor's from the Cardington area who served in the Civil War.  A digitized version of the 144-page book can be viewed on Ohio Memory, by clicking on the image to the left, or on the individual biography pages.

View list of names on the monument

History of the Cardington Civil War Soldiers Monument

The Cardington Civil War Soldiers Monument was first erected at the intersection of Center and Main Street in Cardington in the summer of 1889.  It was officially dedicated with great fanfare on July 4 of that same year.  It listed the names of 306 men that were from, or at one time lived in Cardington Township, or nearby townships and villages.  Three names were listed twice.  It does not include the names of every veteran from the immediate area.  It is theorized that veteran names were sponsored via some sort of subscription program as a means of paying for the monument.  The monument is made of zinc, and is in five parts that are bolted together.

In 1897 the monument was unceremoniously moved to its permanent location in Glendale Union Cemetery, just north of the downtown area.  This writer believes that Glendale Cemetery was designated to be the permanent home of the monument from the beginning.  Improvements to the cemetery were in the process of being completed in the early 1890’s.  The streets in the early cemetery have the appearance of being “sunken.”  This was done intentionally with horse-drawn graders.  The dirt removed from this grading and other “sculpturing” of the grounds was placed in a flattened mound where the monument rests.  Once the mound settled, foundation stones and a large sandstone base were positioned to accept the monument.  The soldier atop the monument faces a south by southwesterly direction.

The monument sat pretty much undisturbed for over 80 years, when on June 13, 1981, a tornado destroyed the village of Cardington.  A number of large trees in the cemetery were lost.  Indications are that the tornado slightly rotated the monument in a clockwise direction on its sandstone base.  Two corners of the monument protruded over the respective corners of the sandstone base.

Sometime in the 1990’s it was noted that the monument was beginning to sag on the south side, between the second and third tiers, at a height of about four feet.  The heavy weight of the upper three section was causing it to lean to the south.  The soldier at the top began to lean backward to the north.  It was obvious that if left to the forces of gravity, the monument would one day collapse.

When brought to the attention of a community group called “The Friends of Cardington,” it was decided that the monument needed to be repaired and preserved.  It was believed that the monument could be stabilized and repaired for about $30,000.  In the fall of 2016 the Friends hosted a “cemetery walk” at Glendale cemetery, whereby local volunteers stood at the graves of some of “Cardington’s finest” and portrayed them for spectators.  Donations were collected.  This continued annually through the fall of 2020.  By that time, a total o $14,000 had been raised.

It was determined that an assessment of the monument’s condition needed to be made by experts, and a plan for repair and stabilization created.  The Glendale-Union Cemetery Board agreed to pay the restoration company, McKay Lodge, of Oberlin, Ohio, to do the assessment.  After it was completed the company reported back the repairs that would be needed.  The cost was $76,000.

It appeared to the Friends that it would take years to raise the necessary funds.  In August of 2020 a meeting was held at the monument with the Glendale Cemetery Board representatives.  Board Chairman Doug Heacock explained to the committee that the monument needed to be preserved, and that the board was willing to provide a major portion of the funds to do that.  The committee agreed to set a goal to raise $40,000 for the work, and pledged that amount to the board.

Fundraising began in earnest.  Local resident Becky Drouhard suggested that the committee adopt out the names of soldiers listed on the monument for a $100 donation.  Throughout the fall of 2020 and winter of 2021, names were adopted out.  Donations began pouring in, with some as large as $3,000.  By April 2021, the goal of raising $40,000 was achieved.

On October 21, 2020 McKay Lodge brought in a mini crane and dismantled and removed the monument.  About 250 interested residents and citizens showed up to watch the process.

In the meantime, research was conducted on every veteran name that appeared on the monument and a “Veteran’s Report” was made.  It is noted that 32 of the men listed on the monument died during the war, 37 others were wounded and 15 were held as prisoners of war.  Copies are included with this history.  After some discussion, it was decided that a time capsule should be enclosed in the monument when it was returned.  The items contained within were placed in the time capsule and it was sealed, with hopes that the contents would remain in good condition for the day when it was opened.

The monument was returned to Cardington on Wednesday, April 21, 2021.  It was rededicated it on May 31, 2021, Memorial Day.  Over 300 volunteers donned name placards of every veteran listed on the monument and marched in the parade.  Part of the ceremony included having 150 of that number stand at the graves of all Civil War veterans buried at Glendale.  The soldiers that made sacrifices during this war were remembered.

 Thank You to the Donors who made the restoration of the Civil War Monument possible: