Soldiers and Sailors Monument

NARRATOR: This Indiana Bicentennial minute is made possible by the Indiana Historical Society and law firm of Krieg DeVault.

Panoramic and bird’s eye view of the Sailor and Soldier monument is shown.

PAULEY: What started as an idea during the Civil War grew into a 284 foot monument, the first in our country dedicated to the common soldier. The Indiana State Soldiers and Sailors Monument is today the focal point of Indianapolis.

Close up is shown of who commissioned the monument and the dedication of the monument.

PAULEY: Lieutenant George Langsdale, the editor of the Greencastle Banner and a Civil War veteran presented a plan in 1875 and 12 years later the General Assembly agreed to fund it and a design contest was won by German Architect Bruno Schmitz.

Drawings of the proposal as well as photographs of the monument while it’s being built.

PAULEY: It took 13 years to build out of Indiana limestone and cost almost 600,000 dollars.

Photograph shows the top of the monument, which is a woman holding a flame with an eagle on her head.

PAULEY: Atop the monument, a 38 foot bronze statue crowned with an eagle. Her official name is Victory but many call her Miss Indiana. I’m Jane Pauley with this Indiana Bicentennial minute.

NARRATOR: Made possible by the Indiana Historical Society and law firm of Krieg DeVault.