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The
New Ulm monument and statue of Hermann was first conceived by architect
Julius Berndt of New Ulm. A monument to honor the German hero was approved
by the National Grand Lodge of the Sons of Hermann after a great deal
of discussion concerning appropriation of funds and location of the
monument. After many objections, New Ulm was chosen as the location
of the monument through the effort of Julius Berndt and because of'
the town's German background. An elevated plot of land was selected
for the monument on the west side of the city and the project, headed
by Berndt, was started. The cornerstone was laid in 1888, but due to
construction funds being slowly obtained, the monument was not dedicated
until 1897. The foundation of the stone monument is 42 by 42 feet and
extends 10 feet below the surface of the ground. Rising above the stone
structure are ten 26-inch diameter steel columns in the center of which
is a 4-foot column supporting the statue. Around the center column a
steel stairs winds, leading to the cupola beneath the statue. There
are ten windows in the cupola, affording a view of the town, and the
Minnesota River valley for miles. The statue itself is 32 feet high
from the foot to the point of the uplifted sword and 8 1/2 feet across
the back. The framework is made of steel piping and the outside shell
of hammered copper. It weighs 7,000 pounds, and was made by the W.H.
Mullins Company at Salem, Ohio. The total height of the monument is
102 feet. There is a large room in the base of the structure, which
was used as a museum in the past. In 1929, the Sons of Hermann Lodge
turned the monument and the park land over to the City of New Ulm.
Visit the Hermann Monument
Society Home Page!
Times:
Memorial Day-Labor Day
Open daily 10-4 p.m.
Cost: $1.25, Children under 5 are Free |
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