George Custer's hometown — and the ongoing debate over his statue

General George Armstrong Custer isn’t originally from Monroe — he was born in Ohio. But he grew up here from his early teens and went to school in Monroe. In 1864 he married a local woman, Elizabeth Bacon, in the city. Monroe has long claimed him as its own. A large bronze statue of Custer on horseback, dedicated in 1910, stands at one of the busiest corners downtown. The county museum holds one of the largest Custer collections anywhere. The area marks “Custer Week” each year. You’ll see his name on streets, a school, and the local airport.

Custer is also a deeply controversial figure. In his day he was celebrated as a Civil War cavalry hero. Later he played a leading role in the U.S. government’s wars against Native American nations. Many people, and especially Native Americans, view that history as brutal and indefensible. In recent years the tension has come to a head in Monroe over the downtown statue. Native American organizations — including the United Tribes of Michigan — have called for the monument to be removed or moved to a museum. So have local activists and a petition with thousands of signatures. Others want it kept in place. Some favor a middle path: keep it, but add signage that tells the fuller, harder story of his life. The city council took the question up. In the end it set the formal review aside without resolving it, so the statue stays where it is for now. Spend time in Monroe and you’ll see Custer’s image often. The disagreement over how the town should remember him is part of its present-day life.