Jefferson Davis State Historic Site
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The Jefferson Davis State Historic Site is a monument maintained by the Kentucky Department of Parks, in Todd County, Kentucky, east of Hopkinsville, dedicated to the birthplace of the first and only President of the Confederate States of America. The monument consists of a 351 foot tall obelisk, a visitor's center, and surrounding park. Ironically, the site is less 100 miles from the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln, born outside of Hodgenville, Kentucky, President of the United States of America at the same time.
History of the Monument
According to the [KY State Park Site], Simon Bolivar Buckner Sr., a Confederate General first proposed the idea during the reunion in 1907. By 1917, construction began, but stopped in 1918 due to building material rationing during World War I. Construction continued in January 1922, and was finished in 1924 at a cost of $200,000.Park Details
The Park itself has an area of 19 acres and includes open and covered picnic areas, as well as a playground. The Visitors Center includes a DVD video presentation of the building of the monument, as well as the political life of Davis himself. The center also includes a gift shop selling books and memorabilia about Davis, the American Civil War, and the surrounding area, as well as Kentucky handicrafts. The Park is open from May 1 until October 31.Construction details
The monument stands at 351 feet tall and is approximately two-thirds the height of the Washington Monument.
- First Construction began in 1917 and continued until fall of 1918, halted by World War I, reaching a height of 175 feet.
- Second Construction began in January, 1922, and continued until the structure was finished 1924, reaching full height.
- Walls measure seven feet thick at the base, and taper to the top, where they are two feet thick.
- The base is made entirely of Kentucky Granite.
- Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s the obelisk was under renovations and was closed. In May 2004, the obelisk was reopened with an elevator that takes visitors to the observation deck, just below the point.
See also
External links
- [Jefferson Davis State Historical Site]
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