Dalton statue relocated from downtown area

A Confederate statue that stood at the intersection of Hamilton and Crawford streets in downtown Dalton, Georgia, since 1912 has been relocated, according to a news release from the city of Dalton.

The statue of Confederate Gen. Joseph E. Johnston was removed early Saturday morning and taken to the Huff House on Selvidge Street. The Huff House is home to the Whitfield-Murray Historical Society and served as Johnston’s headquarters during the Civil War. The decision to move the monument in the early morning was made to minimize disruption of traffic in the area, the release states.

The United Daughters of the Confederacy, which commissioned and placed the statue, made the decision to have it moved from downtown. The removal was financed by private donors and no taxpayer money was used for the project, according to the release.

The removal comes after months of uncertainty surrounding the monument that sparked protests and counter-protests in summer 2020.

In Dalton, the statue was at the center of multiple protests between activists who wanted it relocated to a location that would better contextualize its history and significance and others in the community who wanted it kept in the downtown square because of its nostalgic presence.

The standing of Confederate historical figures came into question anew among the nationwide protests after the May 25 killing of George Floyd, a Black man, under the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer.