A Moving Tribute To Berlin's Civil War Soldiers

By Michele Fischer-Paul

Sunday Berlin celebrated the 150 year re-dedication of the first Civil War monument in Connecticut, right here my hometown of Kensington. It also is the only Civil War monument in the country that stands in its original location (only 4 houses away from our home) and is now registered as a national landmark. 

Unlike most Civil War monuments, it was erected during the war rather than after. It sits on property of the Kensington Congregational Church, which has also maintained the landmark for over a century.

With the help of our community and KCC it was recently restored.

The re-dedication event had about 200 attendees as well as Civil War reenactment soldiers, a visit and speech by President Abraham Lincoln, as well as representation from the U.S. Army, local Boy Scouts, Senator Blumenthal and local politicians. CCSU professor Matthew Warshauer who spearheaded the restoration and re-dedication and Charles H. Rathbone the great-grandson of the monument's designer gave us some history of Berlin/Kensington during that era.

Period and patriotic music was sung by the local Travelin' Prayer chorus. The event concluded with a 21 gun salute by our local VFW and American Legion members.

It was so wonderful to learn something new about my community. I can only imagine the countryside where my home now sits, and the soldiers (aged 15-50) who left their farms and gave their lives to unite North and South and end slavery.