DMVA presents plan to move Union soldier statue to Grand Junction; descendants consultation not confirmed

The Colorado Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) presented a plan to restore and relocate the Civil War "Union soldier" statue and its plinth to the Colorado Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Grand Junction, but the committee did not authorize a loan or relocation at this meeting.

Nicholas Severn, chief financial officer for the Colorado Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, told the Capital Development Committee that the statue currently is split between locations: the bronze figure is stored at History Colorado and the plinth remains on the west side of the State Capitol. Severn said DMVA's plan would restore the statue in cooperation with History Colorado and the Department of Personnel & Administration, then re-install both statue and plinth at a public, visitor-accessible location at the Colorado Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Grand Junction.

Severn said DMVA has not selected a precise placement within the cemetery but envisioned it near the visitor center and accessible to the public from River Drive Parkway. "We would install the monument at the cemetery," Severn said, describing the site as "accessible to the public, accessible to the community there in Mesa County, and Western Colorado." He invited committee members to visit the facility.

Committee members asked whether DMVA had consulted descendants of the family associated with the statue. Severn said he did not have specific knowledge of agency communications with that family and said DMVA is "committed to working with the families, being in communication with the family, making sure that they have some input." A committee member said in response that it would be reasonable to contact descendants and seek their input or blessing.

The proposal to loan the Union soldier statue to DMVA was mentioned earlier in the meeting as part of a motion to approve the Sand Creek Massacre Memorial design and a long-term loan of the Union soldier statue to DMVA. Because the committee did not take a vote on that motion and later the mover withdrew it, there is no recorded committee authorization to move the statue. The DMVA staff said they will continue consultations and restoration planning but cannot proceed with relocation without the required committee approvals and any necessary consultations.

No timeline for restoration or move was provided in detail; Severn offered to show committee members the Grand Junction facility and noted the cemetery is near the Colorado River and River Drive Parkway. Funding sources for restoration and transportation were not specified during the presentation.

The committee did not vote on the loan or relocation at this meeting and expects to revisit the request when the full committee can consider the matter.