Confederate Monument

In DeKalb County, Alabama, a Confederate monument erected in 1913 by the Sons and Daughters of Confederate Soldiers honors the fathers and sons of the county who served and sacrificed in the War Between the States. On top of the monument, a lone Confederate soldier stands watch, looking out toward the horizon.

A Monument Built by Families

The monument was built about 50 years after the war, when many veterans were growing old and their children wanted to make sure their service would be remembered. Like most Confederate memorials of that era, it was not paid for by the government. It was raised by local families, many of whom had lost fathers, brothers and husbands in the war.

DeKalb County’s History

DeKalb County sits in the northeast corner of Alabama, along Lookout Mountain and Sand Mountain. The county is named for Baron Johann de Kalb, the German-born general who died fighting for American independence at the Battle of Camden in 1780.

The area is rich in history. Before the war, it was part of the Cherokee Nation. Fort Payne, the county seat, takes its name from the fort built there in 1838 during the Cherokee removal. Sequoyah, who created the Cherokee written language, lived in the area for a time.

During the war, DeKalb County sent many of its young men to fight for the Confederacy. In September 1863, Union troops crossed Lookout Mountain through the county on their way to the Battle of Chickamauga, one of the bloodiest battles of the war and a major Confederate victory.

Visiting

For travelers interested in Southern history, DeKalb County is worth the trip. The monument, the Fort Payne area and the scenery along Lookout Mountain make for a memorable visit. Read more about how the South remembers its soldiers in our post The South Remembers the War.

Honor Alabama’s Confederate soldiers with a flag from our Confederate flag collection.

Source: The Historical Marker Database: Confederate Monument

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