Here is some information on the Hemann the German Monument in New Ulm, Minnesota. This little coin spent the night just down the road from the momument!
The New Ulm monument and statue of Hermann was first conceived by architect Julius Berndt of New Ulm. A monument to honor the German hero was approved by the National Grand Lodge of the Sons of Hermann after a great deal of discussion concerning appropriation of funds and location of the monument. After many objections, New Ulm was chosen as the location of the monument through the effort of Julius Berndt and because of' the town's German background. An elevated plot of land was selected for the monument on the west side of the city and the project, headed by Berndt, was started. The cornerstone was laid in 1888, but due to construction funds being slowly obtained, the monument was not dedicated until 1897. The foundation of the stone monument is 42 by 42 feet and extends 10 feet below the surface of the ground. Rising above the stone structure are ten 26-inch diameter steel columns in the center of which is a 4-foot column supporting the statue. Around the center column a steel stairs winds, leading to the cupola beneath the statue. There are ten windows in the cupola, affording a view of the town, and the Minnesota River valley for miles. The statue itself is 32 feet high from the foot to the point of the uplifted sword and 8 1/2 feet across the back. The framework is made of steel piping and the outside shell of hammered copper. It weighs 7,000 pounds, and was made by the W.H. Mullins Company at Salem, Ohio. The total height of the monument is 102 feet. There is a large room in the base of the structure, which was used as a museum in the past. In 1929, the Sons of Hermann Lodge turned the monument and the park land over to the City of New Ulm.