At the western end of downtown, where Main Hill levels off before descending toward the lake, stands Bridgton's Civil War memorial. The 36-foot monument was dedicated on July 21, 1910, drawing some 3,000 people — many of them arriving by the narrow-gauge railroad that connected the town to the national network. A bronze soldier stands atop a granite pedestal built by the Hallowell Granite Works; at the dedication ceremony, a flag furled in the soldier's hand was released and unfurled as the band struck up a patriotic anthem.
The memorial honors the men from Bridgton who served the Union: 79 enlisted in 1861, 75 in 1862, 41 in 1863. Former Maine Governor Henry B. Cleaves, himself a Bridgton native, was the primary donor. The monument was restored in 2019 with a private donation and work by sculptor Anthony Tafuri.