Soldiers and Sailors Monument – Hartford

Open to the Public

The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch, designed by Hartford architect George Keller, stands as a tribute to the 4,000 Hartford citizens who served in the Civil War and the 400 who sacrificed their lives for the Union. Dedicated on September 17, 1886, coinciding with the anniversary of the Battle of Antietam, the Gothic monument is constructed from Portland, Connecticut brownstone and cost approximately $60,000 from the city treasury. Keller’s ashes, along with those of his wife Mary, were interred in the east tower upon their deaths in 1935 and 1946, respectively.

The arch features a striking terra cotta frieze depicting scenes from the Civil War, with eight-foot-tall statues representing various residents who left their homes to fight, including a student, farmer, freed slave, stone mason, carpenter, and blacksmith. As part of a $1.5 million restoration in 1987, the original terra cotta angels Gabriel and Raphael were replicated in bronze and replaced. Additionally, a bronze plaque under the freed slave statue honors the 128 African American residents of Hartford who fought for the Union, added following research by seventh-grade student Airron Bethea, who wrote an essay for the arch’s rededication.