Monuments Links: lewisandclarktrail.com
By: kjfitz
Nine feet square at the base and six feet square at the top and is capped with aluminum connected to copper grounding wires to protect it from lightning strikes. There is an inner concrete core which is four and one-half feet square at the base and three feet square at the top. The bones of Sergeant Floyd were placed in urns and then placed in the concrete core.
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Construction of the monument began with the pouring of the concrete foundation on May 29, 1900. Construction was stopped at the 55 foot level in November of 1900 due to weather. On March 28, 1901, construction was continued and the capstone was laid on April 22, 1901. The monument was dedicated on May 30, 1901.
Design was by the U.S. Army Engineers, Captain James C. Sanford and Captain Hiram M. Chittenden with Assistant Engineer Bathurst Smith. The stone is Kettle River sandstone. Total amount of money spent from all sources was $12,600.
The monument was recognized as the First National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of Interior in 1960.
