Veterans Day 2015 and the Grand Army of the Republic

At first glance this monument at Belle Isle Park in Detroit is something more in line with a Memorial Day post, but the Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization comprised of Union army and navy veterans of the Civil War.

And this statue honors the GAR. At its base it reads, "There are now forty-eight reasons why we will always remember the Grand Army of the Republic." The monument was dedicated on November 11, 1948, six years before Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaimed 11/11 Veterans Day. Prior to then it was Armistice Day, which celebrated the end of World War I.

Back in '48 of course there were only 48 states.

I snapped this photo in July during my now-fabled Detroit trip. And not every Motor City post of mine features urban ruins.

Thank you, vets, for your service to the greatest county in history.

Related post:

Detroit's castle: The Grand Army of the Republic Building