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|park=Lee Square
|image=LeeSquare.jpg
|caption=Confederate monument at Lee Square. Removed in 2020
|type=historic site
|size=1.6 acres
</googlemap>
}}
'''Lee Square''' is a [[Civil War]] memorial park in [[downtown Pensacola]]. It is located between the north- and south-bound lanes of [[Palafox Street]], between [[Jackson Street|Jackson]] and [[Gadsden Street]]s. Situated atop [[Gage Hill]] on the former site of [[Fort George]] and [[Fort McClellan]], it was known as '''Florida Square''' until renamed for [[Confederate]] General [[Wikipedia:Robert E. Lee|Robert E. Lee]] in [[18891887]]. In [[1891]], after years of fundraising and planning, a 30-foot monument to "our Confederate dead" was erected in the park, featuring and featured a large granite sculpture of a Confederate soldier, modeled after a painting by John Adams Elder. The monument is was dedicated to [[Wikipedia:Jefferson Davis|Jefferson Davis]], [[Stephen R. Mallory]], [[Edward Aylesworth Perry]], and "the Uncrowned Heroes of the Southern Confederacy."It was later removed in 2020.
Stewardship of the park was turned over to the [[United Daughters of the Confederacy]] in [[1903]] and was for many decades home to an annual Confederate Memorial Day (or "[[Decoration Day]]") observance on [[April 26]]. Over the years the park has been reduced in size to accommodate the increased traffic on [[Palafox Street]], and events memorializing the Confederacy have become intermittent. The park is now maintained by the [[City of Pensacola]]'s [[Parks & Recreation Department]].
==History==
Prior to 1887, the park was known as Florida Square. On June 8, 1887, the commissioners of the Provisional Municipality of Pensacola adopted "an ordinance to fix the names of certain streets and Florida Square." Section 4 of the ordinance read, "That Florida Square between Gadsden and Jackson on Palafox be known as R. E. Lee Park." ===DevelopmentMonument===
In [[1881]], [[Confederate]] general and future Florida governor [[Edward Aylesworth Perry]] led a movement to erect memorial in Tallahassee honoring the state's Confederate dead. Fundraising efforts were slow, with most donations coming from Perry's own [[Escambia County]]. After his death in [[1899]], only $3,005 had been raised, all but $87 of which from the Pensacola area.
===Dedication ceremony===
Most of the city's residents, plus some 3,000 visitors from around the state, attended the [[June 17]], [[1891]] dedication ceremony. Railroad companies provided free transportation to soldiers in uniform who made the trip and gave a discounted rate of one cent per mile to all others.
A parade was held at 4:00 p.m. that carried a procession up [[Palafox Street]] the top of [[Gage Hill]]. An opening prayer was given by Presbyterian Reverend [[H. S. Yeager]], after which the crowd sang "My Country 'Tis of Thee." The monument was unveiled by Miss Jennie Henderson from Tallahassee while a band played the song "Dixie." Governor [[Wikipedia:Francis P. Fleming|Francis P. Fleming]] gave a speech welcoming the crowd, followed by [[First Baptist Church]] Reverend [[J. H. Curry]] and Colonel [[Wikipedia:Robert Wyche Davis|Robert Wyche Davis]].
{{cquote|To destroy this memorial … where all the descendants of these men and all persons might go to study the record of their heroic deeds, and receive inspiration and to also dedicate their lives to build and maintain a re-united country-such action would destroy the purpose for which Lee Square was dedicated … and this monument was builded.}}
In November [[1963]], a revival of the Ladies' Confederate Monument Association was led by [[Mary Turner Rule]] and others to protect the size of the park from further traffic encroachments and "to enhance the beauty and significance of the square."
==Plan to restore original name and removal of Confederate monument==
On July 14, 2020, the Pensacola City Council voted 6-1 to remove the confederate monument and 7-0 to restore the square to its original name, Florida Square.<ref>https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2020/07/14/pensacola-city-council-votes-remove-confederate-monument-change-name-lee-square/5438879002/</ref> On October 26, 2020, construction crews began removing the square's confederate monument.<ref>https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/florida/os-ne-pensacola-florida-confederate-monument-20201028-ghwvgzzd6rabdat6gdygaowzgq-story.html</ref>
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