Civil War Era

In 1860, the name changed from Public Square to Monumental Park after a statue of Battle of Lake Erie hero Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry was installed in the center of the square.

The square has served many purposes over the years, including as a meeting point for returning war veterans and their loved ones for not only the civil war, but also subsequent wars.

Following the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, Public Square was one of few select locations that provided a viewing space for the casket of Abraham Lincoln.

There was much debate in the early 1850s regarding Public Square, as many people felt it should be a closed park.

There was briefly a fence put up around Public Square, however, with such a booming economy and population growth, the transit needs outweighed the need for a park and the fences were removed in 1867.