Confederate monument dismantled after sparking debate, will be moved to veterans park

A Confederate monument that caused a stir in a North Carolina town has been dismantled and put in storage until it can be moved to a different location. 

It was only after the dismissal of a lawsuit challenging the move that the town decided to act.

Edenton established a Human Relations Commission in 2020 to study the monument issue and propose recommendations. 

In a community letter posted on Facebook, the mayor said the debate over the monument "has been deeply emotional and challenging for the Town Council and many of our citizens."

The council eventually recommended relocating the 26-foot statue.  

"That is a misinformed view," he wrote. "The monument is not being removed - it is being relocated. In doing so, we are not erasing history."

The memorial, erected in 1909, originally stood in front of the Old Colonial Courthouse, according to several sources. It was built to honor the Confederate dead of Chowan County.

In the early 1960s, it was relocated to the prominent downtown waterfront spot.

"I'm proud to announce that Moses Ezekiel's beautiful and historic sculpture - often referred to as 'The Reconciliation Monument' - will be rightfully returned to Arlington National Cemetery near his burial site," Hegseth wrote on X. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the mayor and the town of Edenton for comment.