An Unexpected Tombstone in Covington's Tranquil Linden Grove: The G.A.R Monument

In the silent, quiet Linden Grove Cemetery of Covington, Kentucky, a humble, whimsical monument, known as the Grand Army of the Republic Monument, catches the eye – a quirky addition to the lineup of memorials honoring the Union vets of the American Civil War. Built in 1929, this three-foot-high, three-foot-wide, ten-foot-long monument is modeled after a sarcophagus, made from humble concrete, whitewashed for good measure. It's the only monument in Kentucky In the style of a sarcophagus, proving its one-of-a-kind-ness.

This charming creation was the brainchild of O.P, a member of the Garfield Post No. 2 of the G.A.R, Kentucky's only monument constructed by this post. Usually, such memorials are placed in courthouse squares; but not this one. It chose the serene Linden Grove Cemetery as its resting place, making it one of two G.A.R. memorials in Kentucky, the other being the Colored Soldiers Monument in Frankfort. In 1926, the Garfield Post No. 2 of the G.A.R, under the watchful eye of Senator Richard P.

Ernst, requested a 35-millimeter cannon to adorn Linden Grove Cemetery. In 1929, O.P. constructed a pedestal for this cannon, along with a flagpole, flower stand, and a temporary stage. But the cannon went MIA during World War II, leaving only the pedestal behind, gradually transforming into the monument we see today. In 1997, this whimsical tribute to the Union soldiers earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places, one of sixty such memorials in Kentucky to be bestowed this honor.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons