Old News: Soldiers and Sailors Monument dedication day

This week, 124 years ago, Indianapolis dedicated a monument that has defined the city's identity for generations.

Driving the (old) news: On May 15, 1902, the Soldiers and Sailors Monument was celebrated with an all-day civic event and a special claim to fame.

• It was the first monument in the United States dedicated to the common soldier instead of a general or a president.

The big picture: The choice to center sacrifice over rank made Indy a pioneer in how the nation remembers its veterans.

Zoom in: Dedication ceremonies started at 8am with a parade of veterans from the Mexican-American, Civil and Spanish-American wars and ended with fireworks that drew thousands to Monument Circle.

• Gen. Lew Wallace, decorated Civil War officer and "Ben-Hur" author, served as master of ceremonies.
• Poet James Whitcomb Riley and composer John Philip Sousa created and performed works for the occasion.

By the numbers: The monument is 284.5 feet tall, just 15 feet shorter than the Statue of Liberty, according to the Indiana War Memorials Foundation.

• It cost nearly $600,000 to design and construct. Officials say it would cost more than $500 million to build today.
• It was under construction for 13 years following a groundbreaking in 1888.

• 70 architectural proposals were submitted; the winning design was from the Berlin-based Bruno Schmitz.
• You can get to the observation deck by climbing 331 stairs or taking an elevator most of the way and walking the last 31 steps, but the monument is closed for repairs until further notice.

Fun facts: A roster of every Indiana soldier who served in the Civil War, along with copies of the state's two constitutions and a 38-star American flag, are sealed inside the monument's foundation.

• The structure has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1973.
• In 2011, the American Planning Association named Monument Circle one of the nation's great public spaces.