History in bronze

The Village of Virden in northeast Macoupin County has commissioned a hronze bas-relief monument to commemorate the October 12, 1898 "Virden Massacre," one of the bloodiest days in Illinois labor history. The Virden City Council commissioned sculptor David Seagraves of Elizabeth, Illinois, to create the monument after he submitted his design (shown at right). The bronze includes depictions of the striking miners, the unaware strikebreakers, mine manager Fred W. Lukins and his well-armed guards, union activist Mother Jones, Governor John Tanner, and others. When completed the monument will stand 6' x 12' and rest on a bed of granite. The village hopes to dedicate the monument in October 2004. For more information or to donate to the project, call John Alexander at 217-965-5443.

26 | Illinois Heritage