Unusual state Memorials and Monuments

To honour great presidents, the United States has many impressive national memorials and monuments. For every such famous memorial, there are possibly 100 others in the US honouring bizarre incidents and obscure individuals. Their size and/or design relative to their surroundings or legacy make them stand out. Here are 6 unusual monuments and memorials in the United States.

The Gateway Arch

Standing 630 feet tall, the Gateway Arch is the tallest man-made monument in the US and was completed in 1967 to commemorate America’s expansion to the west. Situated in St Louis, it is strikingly different, both in size and design from other monuments, but it is also world famous, and has become such an accepted part of the American landscape that it no longer seems that unusual.

Jefferson Davis Monument

Built between 1917 and 1924 for an estimated $200,000 the Jefferson Davis monument is located in Fairview, Kentucky. The South boasts numerous memorials and monuments to former Confederate States of America President Jefferson Davis yet none quite match up to the surreal qualities of this monument. Patterned after the Washington Monument, the memorial towers at 351 feet above the rural countryside, and if you get to the top you can see a view of miles and miles of rural countryside.

Carhenge

It is hard to classify Carhenge as it is so bizarre; however the most suiting is to call it a monument. As you can guess by the name, it is patterned after Stonehenge, a pre-historic monument in England. However, instead of using stones, Carhenge consists of 38 stacked cars covered in grey spray paint. Since construction on the monument began in 1987, Carhenge has drawn tens of thousands of visitors and has been featured in movies and other popular culture, despite its somewhat remote location in Alliance, Nebraska.

San Jacinto Monument 

This monument was built in the 1930’s and stands at a height of 567 feet, making it the tallest monumental column in the world. The monument in La Porte, Texas, near Houston, is a popular tourist attraction as part of the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site, where the decisive battle in Texas’ war of independence from Mexico took place.

U.S.S South Dakota

The coasts and harbours of America feature a number of old aircraft carriers, battleships and submarines that now serve as floating memorials to their military veterans. Although Sioux Falls in South Dakota is more than 1,200 miles away from the nearest ocean port, they still have a memorial which served great distinction in the Pacific in World War II. City leaders commissioned a memorial to the ship at a city park. A concrete outline for the ship was made and a propeller, anchor and ships bell were sent by the Navy to create a truly surreal memorial.

Keeper of the Plains

This monument was unveiled in 1974 in Wichita, Kansas to help celebrate the United States bicentennial and to honour Native Americans. The Keeper of the Plains is a leading tourist attraction and popular gathering spot for locals; however it is widely unknown outside of the city. Standing at 44 feet high, a top a 30-foot rock pedestal it is worth a visit during the day, but it is particularly awe-inspiring every night just after sunset, when torches around its base are lit for 15 minutes.