The Monuments at Guilford Courthouse National Military Park

Recognition of the 1781 Guilford Courthouse battle site was initiated in 1886, and resulted in the formation of the Guilford Battle Ground Company (est. 1887) that would protect and commemorate the grounds with monuments and memorials. The first monument was erected in 1887 and between 20 and 30 monuments were erected and dedicated to patriots and politicians through 1910. By 1917, when the park was recognized as the Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, the first preserving a site of the American Revolution, critics questioned the quantity of commemorative sculpture including granite tents, boulders, pyramids, and triumphal arches. Some of the features were removed to better resemble the open woodland in which the battle was thought to have occurred.

This tour will explore the grounds through the lens of commemorative art, including statuary and markers – many constructed of Mount Airy Granite. The collection that exists today at Guilford Battleground could be considered among the best places to learn about late nineteenth and early twentieth century sculpture in the state. Dr. Scott Culclasure will guide tour participants to several notable markers.