Confederate monument moved to new home in Greenwood Cemetery

Statue known as 'Johnny Reb' removed from Lake Eola six months ago

ORLANDO, Fla. – A Confederate monument removed from downtown Orlando months ago now has a new home.

Six months after it was removed and restored, the monument known as "Johnny Reb" has been reinstalled and is now standing tall among the Confederate gravesites at Greenwood Cemetery in Orlando. 

The statue had previously stood at Lake Eola for 100 years.

[FULL LIST BELOW: Confederate symbols in Central Florida]

"I consider down there at Lake Eola where they took that as hallowed ground," Patricia Schnurr, with the local chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, said. 

But the monument got a new home after the city received complaints from the community. Some said the statue does not represent Orlando and should not be located in a public park at Lake Eola. 

In May, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer recommended moving the statue. In June, crews started the process of taking it down piece by piece. City officials tell News 6 they put it up in its new location on Tuesday.

A fence is still up around the statue. City officials said they hope to finish restoring it by next week

The monument is facing northeast, just the way Schnurr said it should.

"Our feeling is that we never retreated. We always face north and never turned our back on the enemy," she said. 

The monument also sparked another debate after crews found a time capsule inside. Dyer opened the box in August and found Confederate money, newspaper clippings, a flag and other items.

A lawsuit was filed by the United Daughters of the Confederacy in June, days after the statue was removed, claiming the time capsule belongs to the organization.

City officials said they have not been served any lawsuit and released the following statement:

"The City's Attorney's Office believes there is no merit to the complaint and that the box and its contents belong to the City of Orlando on behalf of the people of Orlando."

News 6 has made multiple attempts to reach the person who filed the lawsuit on behalf of the UDC, but has not heard back. The case is still pending in Orange County court, according to the clerk's website.

Schnurr tells News 6 she is not concerned about the time capsule. She adds she didn't want the statue moved in the first place, but is glad it has a new home. 

"He's as happy as he's going to be," Schnurr said of the statue.

News 6 also spoke to David Porter, one of the leaders who pushed city leaders to remove the statue. He tells us he is "happy that sad chapter is behind us."


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