Civil War Memorial

Standing in the center of Westborough is this striking Civil War monument, rising high above the common as a permanent reminder of the town’s sacrifice during one of the most defining periods in American history. Enclosed by a simple iron fence, the monument has the dignified presence so common to nineteenth century memorials built after the war.

The monument was commemorated in 1869, only a few years after the end of the Civil War, when memories of the conflict and its losses were still painfully fresh throughout the country. Westborough wanted a lasting memorial to the local men who served to preserve the Union. At a time when town across America were still mourning fathers, sons, brothers and neighbors lost during the war, monuments like this became places of both remembrance and healing.

During the late nineteenth century, communities intentionally placed war memorials in prominent public spaces such as town commons and courthouse squares. These were designed not to be hidden away, but to become part of daily divic life. They served as permanent reminders that the cost of preserving the nation had come directly from the local community itself.

The tall granite obelisk reflects a style used throughout the late 1800s for Civil War memorials. The inscriptions carved into the base preserve the memory of the soldiers.