Civil War memorial statue to return by Memorial Day

By John J. Archibald
Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers

Inscriptions Inscriptions on the 1907 Oshkosh Civil War Statue: West face: “Bull-Run/Pittsburgh Landing” South Face: “To the Memory of the Wisconsin Men who Fought in the War for the Union, 1861-1865” East Face: “Atlanta/Gettysburg” North Face: “Presented to the City of Oshkosh by John Hicks 1907”

OSHKOSH — A city memorial to Civil War soldiers will return to downtown Oshkosh by the end of the year, having spent 13 months in Detroit under restoration.

The statue depicting soldiers in conflict was a gift in 1907 of the late ambassador to Chile and Oshkosh Northwestern publisher John Hicks to the city of Oshkosh. Over time, moisture cracked the bronze at its seams and rusted its interior skeleton.

Hicks died in 1917, but he left a maintenance trust overseen by the Oshkosh Public Library board. A statue restoration movement began about five years ago.

Workers for G. Reinke and Co. Monuments of Oshkosh restored the pedestal Thursday, leading some to think the crane surrounding the stonework meant the statue had returned.

What is exciting for the public is having a century-old statue preserved for future generations, said Joan Mueller, restoration project manager and assistant library director.

“(We can) remind ourselves of what those statues meant to the community when they were placed,” she said.

She anticipates a Memorial Day 2002 re-dedication.

The $60,000 project cost split into $50,000 for the statue and $10,000 for pedestal repairs.

The cost included a $15,000 grant from Save Outdoor Sculpture!, a partnership of Target Stores and the National Endowment for the Arts; a $5,000 grant from Telephone Pioneers of America Ameritech Chapter 4, a group of Ameritech retirees; and private contributions.

Contractors C.R. Meyer & Sons Co. of Oshkosh removed the statue exactly one year ago Thursday for transport to Venus Bronze Works Inc. of Detroit.

G. Reinke and Co. Monuments of Oshkosh removed the pedestal in the summer to enhance the inscriptions of the four granite sides and restore a sheen to parts of the stone face.

“It was unknown what was in here when we took it apart,” said Bob Reinke Jr.

He spread mortar on the inside walls of the pedestal before restoring the capstone Thursday afternoon.

A granite cutter from Wausau, Mike Brodjeski, assisted to hoist the 14,000-pound capstone.

Reinke said he planned to caulk any gaps this morning.

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