Background

The memorial being considered for Linden’s City Park will add to the town’s history. Markers here would tell of the construction of the county’s courthouse with the strength and talent of slaves who used the nearby water and clay for the courthouse’s bricks and many other places as well. Some 400,000 of them is being estimated.

“We have the documentation that these brick were used for the construction of the 1856 Cass County Jail, the 1858 Cass County jailer’s house and the 1859-61 Cass County Courthouse,” Heritage Foundation official Joe Lovelace said in a letter to the community which is on the foundation’s website.

Linden leaders are working to create and commend this story of local history. The Linden Heritage Foundation was first to speak of a plaza with markers telling of this history starting in 1859.

“We want to recognize and acknowledge everyone who took part,” Heritage Foundation President Sam Higdon told the city council and economic development board. “Perhaps there could be a replica of a kiln. An idea might be to have children come here and make their own bricks and learn that about our history “We’ve cleared a slope and top on the north side of the hill near the senior citizens center where the monument could be established. One could stand here, look to the north and see the the lighted water tower off in the distance.”

The signage would cover a period of time from 1846 to 1861.