NEWS UPDATES|
UNION VETERANS UNION, INC. REPLACE MARKERS IN CAPITOL PARK THE UNION VETERANS UNION, IN A MEETING WITH CAPITOL PARK'S HEAD GROUNDSKEEPER, HAS BEEN GRANTED PERMISSION TO REPLACE SIGNAGE AT EACH OF THE CIVIL WAR MEMORIAL GROVE'S TREES. IN ADDITION, THE PARK HAS APPROVED AN IDEA TO REPLACE AS MANY OF THE MISSING CIVIL WAR TREES WITH WITNESS TREES PURCHASED FROM AMERICAN FORESTS' HISTORIC TREE NURSERY. THE SIGNS WERE FUNDED BY THE UVU'S BOB BUNDY AND THE ELK GROVE CWRT'S CHUCK DAVIS. MEMBER STEVE VON BIMA PROVIDED HIS WORKSHOP TO MAKE THE REDWOOD SUPPORTS FOR THE SIGNS. VON BIMA DESIGNED THE SUPPORTS AND THE WORK WAS COMPLETED ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2009. THE SIGNS WERE DELIVERED TO CAPITOL PARK ON MONDAY, JANUARY 26. ON FEBRUARY 4, 2009, THE FIRST OF THE NEW MARKERS WERE PLACED BY THE GROUND CREW OF CAPITOL PARK. THE REST OF THE 16 MARKERS WILL BE PLACED IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. ONCE AGAIN, THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF THE UNION VETERANS UNION,INC. AND THE SUPPORT OF THE ELK GROVE CWRT, THIS MEMORIAL TO OUR CIVIL WAR VETERANS IS BEING PROTECTED AND SUPPORTED. THIS WAS A GREAT PROJECT WHICH WE TAKE PRIDE IN PRESERVING THIS VITAL PIECE OF CIVIL WAR HISTORY. UNION VETERANS UNION MEDAL PICTURED BELOW IS A UNIQUE UNION VETERANS UNION MEDAL. HAS ANYONE EVER SEEN THIS STYLE BEFORE? IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THIS MEDAL, WOULD YOU PLEASE CONTACT US. THE OWNER WOULD LIKE TO TRACK DOWN SOME INFORMATION ON THIS AND WE WOULD LOVE TO HELP OUT!
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Memorial Day 2009 was once again a great success. The day started at Historic City Cemetery with our very popular Civil War Veterans and Memorials tour. Teaming up with members of the Elk Grove Civil War Round Table, we led 70-80 people on the hour long tour. Following the tour, we moved over to the Capitol for a tour of the Civil War Memorial Grove. We did two interviews before the tour and then led a group of about 50 people around the living Union Memorial. We received great reviews in the next day's Sacramento Bee Newspaper. We were the only Civil War Group to do a Memorial Day program in the Central Valley. All in all, the day was a wonderful remembrance of our Union Ancestors. NEW BOOKLET ON THE MEMORIAL GROVE JUST RELEASED! A new booklet on the history of Capitol Park's Civil War Memorial Grove has just been released by Old Eli Publishing. Click on the Old Eli link for more information. NEWS PAGE ARCHIVES MEMORIAL DAY 2008 Memorial Day at the Historic City Cemetery was a great success! Over 80 people attended the "Sacramento's Civil War Heroes" tour. The tour began at exactly 10 am. UVU Commander Bob Bundy gave a brief history of our Union heroes at the Historic City Cemetery. George Bietzel gave the history of the famous "Fire Bell" which tolled on the reelection of Abe Lincoln and his death. Joan Bietzel followed with the story of Jennie Hall--Civil War Nurse. Next stop was the Grand Army of the Republic Monument at plot #1. Past National Commander Steve Von Bima related the history of the Monument and some of the units engraved on the headstones. Next stop was the grave of Jane Norris, with Jacque Bundy relating the great story of Mrs. Norris and the Capitol Flag. Elk Grove Civil War Round Table Member Joe Fabel recited an original poem at GAR Plot #2. It was then on to the Civil War Trees Memorial at GAR Plot #3 with UVU Commander Bob Bundy giving the history of these historic trees. Historian Chuck Davis then led the tour to the grave site of Lebbius Simkins-Medal of Honor Winner--and then on to the grave of General George Cosby (CSA). Mr. Bundy then related the story of Cyrus Hubbard of the 23rd Ohio Infantry. Porter Moss told the story of the Confederate Sullivans and the tour ended at the grave of General George Wright with Chuck Davis relating his sad story. It was a great honor for us to sponsor this tour in honor of those who fought to save the Union and to continue the tradition of gathering at Historic City Cemetery on Memorial Day. PLANS FOR 2008 The Union Veterans Union Western Division has some big plans for 2008. This is the tenth anniversary of the Civil War Tree Memorial at Historic City Cemetery. We will be discussing plans to commemorate the event. Top priority is being given to creating a historic marker for the Memorial. In addition, the GAR marker needs replacing along with the General George Blake Cosby (CSA) marker, which fell last year and has not been replaced. Bob and Jacque Bundy continue to care for the Tree Memorial along with the groundskeepers at the cemetery. They also updated the brochure and it is available at the cemetery office. In addition, the UVU is starting work on a small booklet of local history--"THE GRAND ARMY AT THE HISTORIC CITY CEMETERY--A LOOK AT MEMORIAL DAY'S PAST". It is hoped that this booklet will be published by this fall. CIVIL WAR TREES MEMORIAL COMMITTEE FORMED The Union Veterans Union and the Elk Grove Civil War Round Table joined forces to form The Civil War Trees Memorial Committee. The group will oversee the memorial and will make recommendations for preserving and maintaining the living, award winning memorial. Plans are already underway to provide an informational marker for the site located at 1000 Broadway in Sacramento. Discussions are also underway to replace the four trees that have died in the past several years. (Feb. 22, 2008) GRAND ARMY MONUMENT GETS ANNUAL CLEANING Members of the Union Veterans Union gathering on Presidents Day 2008 to clean the Grand Army Monument. The annual event takes place at Grand Army Plot#1 in Historic City Cemetery. (See Grand Army Monument Page) HISTORICAL MARKERS TO BE REPLACED The Civil War Trees Committee is working to present a plan to the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery to replace the historical information markers at G.A.R. Plot #1, General Cosby (CSA) gravesite and the Spanish-American War site. All of the markers are in bad shape with the wooden posts rotting out and the informational tablets badly weather damaged. The groups will meet at G.A.R. Plot #1 on Monday, Feb. 18, 2008 to clean the G.A.R. Monument and to photograph the damaged markers. In addition, the groups will propose a new informational marker be placed at the Civil War Trees Memorial at G.A.R. Plot #3. The Tree Memorial was the recipient of the Sacramento Tree Foundations 2007 Legacy Award. (see below) MEMORIAL DAY 2008 The Memorial Day Committee met the end of January to discuss plans for this years event at Historic City Cemetery. It was decided to conduct a special Memorial Day Cemetery Tour, "Sacramento's Civil War Heros". This tour will be about an hour in length and will include stops at all three G.A.R. plots, Women in the War stops, the Civil War Tree Memorial and the graves of Gen. George Wright (USA) and General George Cosby (CSA). Civil War flags will be flown at each of the G.A.R. sites. CIVIL WAR TREES MEMORIAL AWARDED The Sacramento Tree Foundation has awarded its 2007 Legacy Award to the Civil War Trees Memorial at Historic City Cemetery. Founded in 1997 by Chuck Davis, Steve Von Bima and Bob Bundy along with the late John Bettencourt, the grove of trees consists of those trees brought from Civil War Battlefields and planted around the graves of our Union heros at GAR Plot #3. Bob and Jacque Bundy, caretakers of the trees along with the groundskeepers of City Cemetery, accepted the award on behalf of all who have volunteered their time to help in this project. The nine trees in the grove were brought from the battlefields of Gettysburg, Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Petersburg, Appomattox and the homes of Robert. E. Lee, Clara Barton and President Andrew Johnson. We are all greatly honored that this living memorial to our Civil War Ancestors was given this award. HISTORIC TREES NOMINATED The Union Veterans Union has nominated the eight remaining Civil War Memorial Grove trees in Captiol Park for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Trees. Sponsored by American Forests of Jacksonville, Florida, the list will bring attention to historic trees that still survive throughout the country. Bob Bundy, past National Commander of the UVU, filled out the necessary paperwork and supplied American Forests with articles, photos and background information on the 1897 Tree Grove. The local UVU is also working with the groundskeepers at Capitol Park to have proper markers made for the trees. HISTORIC TREE GROVE TO GAIN MARKERS The historic Civil War Tree Grove, first planted in 1897 in Capitol Park in Sacramento, will receive new markers soon. Several of the original trees still survive in the Grove. These trees were brought to the California Capitol from Civil War Battlefields. Originally, 44 trees were in the grove. Today, only a handful survive. None of these historic trees have markers to show their historic nature. The Union Veterans Union approached the superintendent of Capitol Park with a proposal to provide markers for all of these historic trees. Stay tuned! NEW BOOKLET NEARING COMPLETION The UVU's new booklet on exposing the lies and distortions of the Neo-Confederate movement is nearing completion. The publication covers various topics including States' Rights, Blacks in the service, treatment of prisoners of war and the slave holding generals Lee and Jackson among many other topics. We felt it was time to expose this movement for what it is---a fraud. The UVU, unlike most Neo-Confederate groups, always shows it sources for any statements and claims it makes. More on this excellent and well researched publication soon. (Update-January 2008---This booklet is completed and will be printed up by April 1st, 2008) |
