GAR Monument

Soldiers Monument (GAR)

Photo credit: Branford Historical Society

The GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) monument, honoring those who died in the Civil War, was built in  1885 and dedicated on October 28, 1885. A parade was held, schools were closed and the dedication was attended by the governor as well as state senators and congressmen.  The monument is 30 feet tall, with a seven foot tall Union soldier on top; the granite came from the Smith Granite Co. of Westerly, Rhode Island. A base was added in 1916.