The Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Lancaster

Rising 43 feet high, this Gothic Revival monument graces Penn Square in the heart of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Dedicated on July 4, 1874, the monument was built to honor the local Union soldiers who lost their lives in the American Civil War, but it now stands as a testament to all American soldiers who have served in subsequent conflicts. The monument features a rectangular granite pillar topped with a statue of a robed woman on a pedestal known as the 'Genius of Liberty'. The Genius of Liberty holds a drawn sword and a shield, and her head is crowned with stars. She faces north, which according to legend allows her to turn her back on the former Confederate States of America.

At its base, statues of four men represent the four branches of the American armed services: the United States Navy, United States Army, Artillery and the United States Cavalry. The monument was later listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 2, 1973. Its historical significance is rooted in the site where the 1744 Treaty of Lancaster between the British and Iroquois was signed, and where the Second Continental Congress met in the old Lancaster Courthouse on September 27, 1777.

Over the years, several bronze plaques have been added to the monument to memorialize members of the American armed forces. These include plaques honoring the role of African Americans in the military, as well as separate plaques honoring those killed in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War and the Persian Gulf War.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons