The confederate statue was moved from downtown Gainesville. After more than a year of controversy over the fate of the soldier in downtown Gainesville, the Daughters of the Confederacy moved it Monday.

"I understand it's part of the community but it represents some horrible things to a great deal of the community," said City Commissioner Harvey Ward, who said he is glad to see Gainesville is turning the page on this chapter of history. "As a citizen of the community, I'm glad that we've thought better of something we should have dealt with many decades ago."

Others said it is not offensive and that it is a memorial to the dead.

Passerby Phyllis Leak said, "it represent the war, and it shouldn't have to bother anybody personally."

The county was notified by the Daughters of the Confederacy over the weekend that the crew was coming.

"They paid for it, raised the money and taxpayer dollars were not used for the removal," said County Spokesperson Mark Sexton. "There's a good closure effect, I think, by the group that erected the statue being the group that will decide where the statue ultimately resides."

Sexton said they do not know where the daughters will be taking it.