Controversial Confederate Soldier Statue Listed On Craigslist

ROCKVILLE, MD — The controversial Confederate soldier statue — a focus of community debate since it was vandalized with graffiti and residents and leaders disagreed on where to keep the monument — was listed for sale on Craigslist a few months ago, according to reports. The county has been trying to figure out where to move the statute for over a year.

Earlier this month, officials announced the statue will soon be relocated from the front of the Red Brick Courthouse to an undisclosed location in Montgomery County.

But, before figuring out the location, council member Tom Hucker placed the statute up for sale for $1,000 on Craigslist.

"What would you do if it were in your garage, and you didn’t want it anymore? That’s how I looked at it,” Hucker told Montgomery Community Media.

Hucker said relocating the statue would cost money that would likely take funding away from schools or parks.

Read the Montgomery Community Media article here.

A Patch reader sent us a screenshot of the alleged Craigslist posting, though Patch cannot verify this since the posting has since been deleted.

The posting reads: "This posting is to assess market interest in purchasing this historical item for private display. I am not the owner but I am in contact with the owners. Serious inquiries only. Buyer is responsible for relocating statue."

See Also: Controversial Confederate Soldier Statue To Be Relocated Soon, Removal of Confederate Memorials Weighed 150 Years After Civil War, Confederate Monument Vandalized in Rockville, What Should Rockville, County Do With Confederate Statue?

It seems that some residents think the listing was inappropriate.

"I am appalled that anyone in government would approach the removal of a military monument honoring the sacrifice of veterans in such a crass fashion. Have these people no shame?," a Patch user emailed. "Clearly, citizens are entitled to know the actions taken by their representative government, especially when such actions appear to be couched in secrecy to avoid public scrutiny."

Rockville leaders voted 4-1 against accepting the disputed statue at the Beall Dawson Historical Park in February 2016. Many felt a monument tied to slavery or the Confederacy was inappropriate, but there were a slew of others reasons why the statue was turned down, including costs of lighting, maintenance and security.

Confederate flags and memorials are seen as a reminder of Southern heritage by some, while many African-Americans have said the legacy is one of slavery and hate.

In July 2016, the 11,000-pound statue was vandalized. "Black Lives Matter" and other phrases were graffitied onto the statue, which prompted city officials to keep the statue boxed up in front of the court house as it remains today.

Dise told Montgomery Community Media that county officials are doing an "exhaustive search of different locations" for the statue to be moved to.

There are no details on the relocation or the cost of the move so far.

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