Confederate monument knocked down in Capitol Hill cemetery

A nearly 100-year-old monument to Confederate soldiers in Capitol Hill’s Lake View Cemetery was toppled during the Fourth of July holiday weekend. It’s unclear at this time who took down the structure and whether or not it will be restored.

Intertwined history of Washington and the Civil War

The large stone monument was built in 1926 by a local chapter of United Daughters of the Confederacy, constructed to honor confederate veterans of the Civil War.

Prior to its toppling, the monument had been defaced and damaged several times over the years, most recently in June with paint, graffiti, and some structural damage.

Since the monument is on private property, the city does not have the authority to take it down, though some city officials and others have called for its removal in the past. Former Seattle mayor Ed Murray called for it to be removed in 2017, as well as the Lenin statue in Fremont.

Confederate statues and symbols across the country are being targeted and questioned as they honor soldiers who fought to preserve slavery.

Feliks Banel: Rethinking Confederate monuments in Seattle and beyond

Lake View Cemetery is an “independent, non-profit association” located north of Volunteer Park in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. The cemetery was established in 1872. Martial artist and actor Bruce Lee and his son Brandon Lee are buried at Lake View, which is a popular site for both tourist and resident visitors.

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