Kentucky Monument Vicksburg, MS 39180

The Kentucky Monument at Vicksburg National Military Park in Mississippi is a significant tourist attraction commemorating the soldiers from Kentucky who fought in the American Civil War. Unlike other states, Kentucky has two memorials at the park - the Kentucky State Memorial dedicated to all troops and the Kentucky Confederate Memorial honoring Confederate soldiers. The Kentucky State Memorial is located in a field between Union and Confederate avenues, away from the main road. Visitors can find it by parking near Hovey's Approach and walking a short distance along a dirt path. Along the way, you will see busts of Union and Confederate generals who commanded troops at Vicksburg. The memorial itself features sculptures of Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis, both Kentucky natives, surrounded by granite panels listing all troops who fought at Vicksburg. The Kentucky State Memorial was dedicated in 2001, while the Kentucky Confederate Memorial was erected in 2010. The story behind the two monuments dates back to 1903 when Kentucky was given three places to erect memorials at Vicksburg. The State Memorial was completed first, followed by the Confederate Memorial, showing the complex history and remembrance of the Civil War in the South.