Earlier this year, the city received an assessment conducted by MacDonald & Mack Architects and a core drilling structural assessment by Midwest Engineering. Parts of the monument need complete or extensive repair or replacement, but no original construction blueprints exist for it.

Park and Recreation Director Tom Schmitz said his department has consulted with the Minnesota Historical Society, Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office and National Park Service to determine the best method of restoration.

At this time the monument restoration plan is to deconstruct the monument and document the process. Schmitz said the Hermann statue at the top is in fine condition and would not need to be disassembled, but everything below the statue would need to be deconstructed. The statue could be brought down and put on public display during the monument’s disassembly.

Since no blueprints exist of the monument, a blueprint will be created as the monument is disassembled. This will allow for the creation of a complete architectural reconstruction plan.

Photo by Clay Schuldt Cracking and concrete deterioration in much of the Hermann Monument’s foundation needs complete replacement. Because not orginial design documents are known to exist, planning the restoration project is akin to navigating by dead reckoning.

The monument can be reconstructed based on the plan. Similar materials would be used in the reconstruction plan. With this plan, the Hermann Monument would have a new base, but the design would be the same.

“That’s what we feel is necessary locally,” Schmitz said, “we’re working with the state historical society to determine if that is acceptable to them.”

The cost of restoration is expected to be higher than $6 million estimated in 2019. The city intends to work with state and federal agencies to find grant funding for the project.

Schmitz said through the rest of the year, staff will be discussing the proposed process for the project with state agencies and receive approval for the various stages of the project.

Once the restoration plan has been accepted by the state, city staff will work to secure funding. In 2022, the city created a Hermann Monument Repair account and made a deposit of $100,000.

City officials are recommending another $100,000 be placed in the fund in 2023.

Schmitz said local fundraising will be a component of the project. There will be opportunities for private individuals and service organizations to donate, while staff continues to seek state and federal grants.