With any Museum, there are often more artifacts than can be on exhibit at any given time. So on this page we would like to showcase items that haven't been on exhibit for some time- a look behind the scenes, out of storage, off the shelves...out of the building. If you have a topic you would like to see featured here, send us an e-mail.

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 In this edition we are traveling out of the museum to notice markers of history around us. You may note the large bronze plaque historical markers dotting Monroe, and at one time you may have seen these markers, but after a while we no longer take notice. Have you seen these?

 

Have you seen the many rock monuments around Monroe? Here is one to Hull's Road: "The Old Hull Road, Over Which The American Troops Were Driven By The English and Indian Allies Jan. 22, 1813." Do you know where this is? (Answer at the bottom.)

Next up, more rock plaques to history:

"This Tree In Memory of Warren G. Harding Twenty-Ninth President Of The United States, March 4 1921 (to) August 2 1923."

 This shaped plaque says: "This Tree Planted In Memory of The Author of the Poem "Trees" 1886 Joyce Kilmer 1918, Monroe Garden Club." This is the short poem that starts "I think that I shall never see/ A poem lovely as a tree." Poet Kilmer died in World War I.

And yet another plaque on a large rock dedicates itself to the extinct local Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) Post from Monroe:

"In Memoriam Dedicated To The Memory of the Members of Joseph R. Smith Post No. 76 G.A.R. and W.R.C. No. 256."

The W.R.C. (Women's Relief Corps) was the women's auxiliary to the G.A.R. and there were several in Monroe County. The G.A.R. was made up of Union Civil War veterans. This plaque is all that remains in the public that notes the once large and prolific Smith Post, who made their headquarters downtown and hosted Decoration Day parades and grave decorating (now our Memorial Day). Joseph R. Smith, a Mexican War veteran, is buried on the family plot in Woodland Cemetery amidst many of the local Post members.

And where are these last three rocks and plaques? In Soldiers and Sailors Park, East Front St., Monroe. The first city park, it was the second location of the George A. Custer equestrian statue, which was originally in the center of Washington and East First streets. Though now moved to it current location across from St. Mary Catholic Church at Elm and North Monroe Streets, the upcoming Civil War Casualties Monument will stand where Custer's statue once stood, at the foot of Navarre Street, in Soldiers and Sailors Park!

Another rock monument:

"Site of Early Indian Trading Post. Tablets Placed By The Women Of The Civic Improvement Society of Monroe." This one is in front of a residence on East Elm Avenue, not far from North Monroe Street. One Trading Post was the Navarre-Anderson Trading Post, now a museum and located on North Custer Road near the Raisinville bridge. Another was John Anderson's Trading Post, which was burned.

Here's another- "Near The Site of the First Indian Trading Post In Monroe." Same style as above, put up by the same organization. This larger boulder sits on West Elm Avenue- see the eastern portion of the old St. Mary Academy building in the background.

There are several more stone plaque markers in Monroe- maybe you will see them now? And the first one shown here, Hull's Road, is at the corner of Kentucky Ave. at St. Joseph Catholic Church. Escaping American soldiers retreated along Kentucky Ave./Hull's Road towards Plum Creek trying to get away from the British and Native Americans pursuing them.

In Monroe, history is everywhere!