Josias R. King standing next to the Civil War soldier statue which bears his likeness.

The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial, or Josias R. King Monument as it came to be known, is located in Summit Monument Park at the head of Third Street, near the Cathedral of St. Paul.

In 1893, the Acker Post 21 of the Grand Army of the Republic, passed a resolution to erect a Civil War memorial on St. Anthony Hill at the head of Third Street near Summit Park. It was completed and dedicated on November 20, 1903, to the memory of those who served in the Civil War, and to Josias R. King, of St. Paul's pre-war Pioneer Guards. King is thought to be the first man to volunteer for service with the 1st Minnesota Infantry Regiment.

The 52.5' monolith is made of Vermont granite, which is set on a base of Minnesota granite. The soldier statue and plaques are made of bronze. The soldier's head is a likeness of Lt. Col. Josias King, and the body is a "standard" Civil War soldier. The statue was created by prominent Minnesota sculptor John Karl Daniels.

As one would imagine, the Minnesota weather has not been kind to the memorial. Over the years, the bronze statue oxidized and deteriorated and the granite base became chipped and worn. In 2017, at a cost of $120,000, the memorial was fully restored. Rust and flaking were removed from the statue and it was sealed to prevent any further damage. The massive granite pedestal was restored as well.

Location

Four-Sided Plaque Inscriptions

Erected through the instrumentality of the Allied Organizations of the City of St. Paul Grand Army of the Republic a.d. 1903 The statue represents Josias R. King the first man to volunteer in the First Minnesota Infantry the first regiment tendered the government for the suppression of the rebellion

The victories they helped achieve preserved the UNION OF THE STATES abolished human slavery established the NATIONAL PRESTIGE opened new avenues for the development of man and the advancement of liberty

To perpetuate the memory of the Union soldiers and sailors of the War of 1861 – 1865 Their patriotism inspired unquestioning devotion their valor was attested on hard-won battlefields their suffering and sacrifice exalted the glorious cause and enabled the splendid triumph

Relief showing a GAR membership medal, circumscribed: Grand Army of the Republic 1861 Veteran 1868