DAYTON, Ohio — Since 2018, there has been an ongoing effort to erect a unique bronze statue of Abraham Lincoln on the grounds of one Ohio veterans care facility.

Between the pandemic years and fundraising efforts, it’s been a long time coming.

What You Need To Know

  • The American Veterans Heritage Center and The Lincoln Society of Dayton have been working on a project to have a bronze statue of Abraham Lincoln on the grounds of the Dayton VA Medical Center

  • Project partners broke ground

  • Dayton area artist Mike Major created the sculpture

  • Official unveiling scheduled for May 22

“Lincoln’s been a favorite subject all of my life, as it has been for so many people, but to actually get to do one was magical,” said sculptor Mike Major as he looked at his recent work.

Major has studied hundreds of pictures of Abraham Lincoln to get it right.

“He came to life at a certain point and it’s electrifying to be working on a portrait of Lincoln and feel like the spirit has come alive inside of the sculpture and that happens. It’s an exciting time and I wish everyone could share that,” Major said.

The Dayton region artist is nationally known for his works, but this one of Lincoln hits close to home.

Come May 22, the statue will sit on the grounds of the Dayton VA Medical Center.  

Six years ago the American Veterans Heritage Center and The Lincoln Society of Dayton started working on the project.

The statue depicts Lincoln signing the legislation that established a network of national facilities to care for Civil War soldiers.

“He’s got the pen in his hand, he’s got the bill in his hand and he’s looking off to the grotto and into the parade grounds, not even knowing this place was going to be built here, but somehow knew the ripple effect that was going to take place right,” said Bill DeFries with the American Veterans Heritage Center.

The Dayton VA Medical Center is one of the three oldest health care facilities in what is now the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The ripple effect is the more than 170 VA hospitals that followed.

The groundbreaking for this project was highly anticipated by a lot of people, however, it’s really just the tip of the iceberg when talking about projects happening around the Dayton VA.

Recently the medical center campus was chosen to be the home of the National VA History Center and Museum.

It will be built in an area right behind the statue.

“The VA benefits that are given, medical benefits, memorial benefits, will all be depicted inside the museum and the great history of all the pictures and different things that have occurred over the course of many many wars and taking care of millions of our veterans,” DeFries said.

For Major, having this type of lasting legacy on these grounds is truly special.

“Dayton and Urbana and Springfield gave hundreds and hundreds and thousands of soldiers to the Civil War effort. It’s so great to  be able to have something so permanent here in Dayton, especially Abraham Lincoln,” he said.

Right now the project is costing about $750,000.

Funds come from private donations.

Click here for more information on the project.