Even as some cities in the South are dismantling Confederate memorials that leaders say celebrate a shameful past, at least one is eager to host a statue that its leader calls an important historical marker.

On Monday, a crowd of hundreds gathered to celebrate a Confederate monument’s new home in Brandenburg, Ky., where it was moved after it was disassembled in November and taken away from its original site near the University of Louisville campus, about 45 miles away.

As a small group of protesters looked on, holding signs with messages such as “celebrate freedom, not slavery,” others were dressed in replica uniforms of Confederate soldiers and waving battle flags.

Brandenburg’s mayor, Ronnie Joyner, said in a phone interview on Tuesday that he estimated between 400 and 500 people had attended a dedication ceremony, which took place at a city park overlooking the Ohio River. He said he was unconcerned about any controversy the work might attract, and defended its historical value, saying that the monument would be placed in its proper context in Brandenburg.