Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood Sculpture
Samuel Kirkwood (1813-94) served as Iowa Governor during the Civil War. He was a strong supporter of Abraham Lincoln and was effective in raising regiments during the War. After the War he served in the U. S. Senate and was U. S. Secretary of the Interior. He led a delegation of Iowans to Vicksburg during the siege and visited with many Iowa soldiers there. It was reported that the Governor and the delegation had a good time collecting battlefield souvenirs and even fired a few shots at the Rebs. Gov. Kirkwood is buried in Oakland Cemetery in Iowa City - also refer to his memorial there. The sculpture is located after Tour Stop #15 and just before the Iowa Monument. Photos taken 10/5/08.