The Cuyahoga County Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument is a monument to Civil War soldiers and sailors from Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Located in the southeast quadrant of Public Square in downtown Cleveland, it opened July 4, 1894. It was designed by architect Levi Scofield (1842–1917), who also created the monument's sculptures. F.F. Schnitzer was the supervising architect who oversaw the creation of the structure. The monument is regularly open to the public free of charge.History and ConstructionThe monument consists of a 125-foot black Quincy granite shaft erected on a square base constructed of rough-hewn granite blocks trimmed in sandstone and housing a memorial building. The shaft divided by six carved bands which list the names of battles in which Cuyahoga soldiers fought and is topped with a bronze statue of the "Goddess of Liberty" signifying loyalty to United States.Designed by Levi Scofield, a Captain in the 103rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, who also created the monument’s magnificent sculptures, (he also designed Mansfield, Ohio’s Reformatory, site of the film, The Shawshank Redemption) - the monument consists of an elevated base, surmounted by a column capped with a 15' high a statue of Freedom, defended by the shield of Liberty.The larger than life bronzes, viewed in the proper sequence, tell of the war’s deadly progression. The south side features the Navy, as sailors load a giant mortar at the low casualties, 48 hour Battle of Island Number Ten. The bronze features an African American, in one of the first monuments showing blacks and whites fighting side-by-side. Moving counter-clockwise (on purpose. Scofield shows that war is contrary to human nature.) the next bronze is the Artillery. The cannoneers aim and fire, but there are losses – two artillerists have been killed.
