Monuments

Monuments

World War I & World War II monument pays tribute to those who served in World War I and World War II. Located in Veterans' Memorial Park on N. Custer Rd., Monroe.

The "War on Terror" monument for The Persian Gulf War (2 August 1990 – 28 February 1991), codenamed Operation Desert Storm (17 January 1991 – 28 February 1991) commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War. Located in Veterans' Memorial Park on N. Custer Rd., Monroe.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial located in Heck Park, N. Dixie Hwy. just south of I-75, Monroe. Huey and Cobra helicopters, Walk of Freedom and memorial to those who served in Vietnam.

Statue of the Recording Angel that stands at the Southeast corner of W. Elm Ave. and Monroe St., in front of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, was the first commemorative statue in Monroe and was unveiled on Thanksgiving Day, November 10, 1889. The statue is cut from Italian Carrara marble and stands six feet high. Just below the statue is the seal of the County of Monroe with the Centennial dates. Below that is a quotation from a letter of President George Washington to the Catholics of America. On a sandstone plinth are inscribed the names of the honored guests at the Centennial celebration, including Bishop Foley of Detroit, Honorable Cyrus Luce, Governor of Michigan, and the Mayor of Monroe, Charles Golden.

Statue of General George A. Custer is located at the corner of Monroe St. and Elm Ave., Monroe, 48161. Designed by sculptor Edward Potter and dedicated by President Taft in 1910.

Korean War Memorial is located on N. Custer Rd. west of Telegraph Rd. along the River Raisin at Veterans' Memorial Park. Built in 1990, the memorial pays tribute to the 27 Monroe County residents who served and died in the Korean War.

St. Antoine Park/Monument
Although earlier cemeteries which have since disappeared existed at Monroe and Front Streets and Monroe at 6th Street, this sacred ground is the successor to the first parish cemetery established in 1794 and abandoned in 1830. That first cemetery was located west of Monroe on N. Custer Rd. as part of the St. Antoine's church land. Parishioners renamed their church St. Mary's, locating at Elm Avenue and Monroe Street and consecrating a new burial ground on this site. During the cholera epidemic of 1832 victims of all nationalities and religions were buried along side the Roman Catholic parishioners to whom it was once dedicated.

Battle of Frenchtown "Obelisk" Monument
900 Americans Under Cols. Allen, Lewis and Wells
fought desperately against 3000 British and allies
under Gen. Proctor. Forced to surrender, though promised British protection. The prisoners left unguarded were attacked and killed by the Indians.

Memorial Place/Kentucky Monument
Here were buried unidentified remains of victims of the River Raisin massacre of 1813. In 1872 surviving veterans of that War gathered in Monroe from Ohio and Kentucky. They headed a colorful civic pageant which halted solemnly at this spot while the old soldiers paid military honor to their fallen comrades. General George A Custer, a member of the local welcoming committee, read the roll call of the veterans. In 1904 - 05 the ladies of the Monroe Civic improvement Society induced city officials to establish the old burial ground as a park. Appropriation was made by the State of Michigan for the monument which stands as a permanent tribute to Kentucky and her militiamen.

Captain Norman Heck Park/Monument

Fifth United States President James Monroe Statue
The Statue in tribute to President James Monroe, Monroe Michigan’s namesake, was unveiled on Sunday November 12, 2017 in honor of the Bicentennial of the plating of both Monroe County and the City of Monroe in 1817.

The Peace Monument and Garden
is located behind the Johnson-Phinney building at 117 Cass St. Memorial Park. To honor more than 200 years of peace between the United States, Canada and Great Britain after the War of 1812.

The nine-foot-tall statue is one of the more visible testaments to Elizabeth Upham McWebb, better known as Aunt Bett, who died Jan. 30, 2004, at 99.

On Oct. 6, 2002, hundreds turned out to dedicate the 600-pound bronze statue of Little Brown Bear sitting on a log outside Dorsch. Local artist Devon Vergiels donated more than 300 hours to sculpt the statue out of clay in the likeness of the bear and architect John Kohler donated 40 hours to design the site. The initial framework design was done at Monroe County Community College by John Schneeg, Keith Albright, Don Setzler and Mike Mohn. Some passerbys will rub the bear’s nose for good luck.

Aunt Bett is remembered for many things, but is perhaps best known as Monroe’s author of the Little Brown Bear series and many poems and rhymes. Many remember her simply as the woman who thrilled kids with spellbinding stories.

Born Oct. 20, 1904, Aunt Bett was the youngest of nine children born to Albert and Elizabeth ( Wilson) Upham in Flat Rock. Her family moved to Monroe when she was 4. After graduating in 1923, she continued her education at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and became a school teacher, eventually teaching in Rockwood, Farmington, Lincoln Park and Detroit. She married George (Mac) Mc-Webb on Aug. 20, 1940, in Angola, Ind., and moved to South Rockwood where they owned a pharmacy for many years. They settled in Monroe upon his retirement. He died March 14, 1968.

Aunt Bett’s outstanding career of writing stories, poems and limericks began when she was a child. She began writing stories and verses while teaching Sunday school. Her sister, who worked for Highlights Magazine, encouraged her to submit her story about a little brown bear, the bear whose image sits in front of the library at E. First and Washington Sts. Her first book, “Little Brown Bear,” was published in 1942.

“Grandmother’s Locket” is the most recognizable of her books, Krueger said. Aunt Bett’s other books include “The Merry Adventures of Little Brown Bear,” “Little Brown Bear Goes to School,” “Little Brown Bear and Friends,” “Little Brown Monkey,” “Through My Kitchen Window,” “Little Brown Bear Learns To Cook” and “Little Brown Bear Loses His Clothes.” All of the books are available at Dorsch or can be found online at the library system’s website. The books can be made available at any of the system’s 16 branches if requested.

Aunt Bett’s last effort, “Little Brown Bear Builds a Playhouse,” was written in collaboration with Julia Richardson and still benefits Habitat for Humanity.
Despite her literary talent, thousands of children in Monroe knew her best for the stories she told rather than those she read.

The “Little Brown Bear” A Tribute to Elizabeth Upham McWebb a.k.a. Aunt Bett

Monuments

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