In August 2016, the World War One Centennial Commission — the same organization that is sponsoring the design and construction of the new National World War I Memorial in Washington, D.C. (below) — along with the Pritzker Military Museum and Library and with support from the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars announced a unique project to encourage individuals and communities across the country to restore and preserve their local World War I memorials.
Perspective of “The Weight of Sacrifice,” the proposed, new National World War I Memorial (Courtesy World War One Centennial Commission)
The purpose of the project, known as the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials program, was, according to the Centennial Commission, to “motivate and support the efforts of local organizations across the country to honor the memory of their hometown war heroes, to build awareness of the war’s impact on their local communities, and to restore and provide for the ongoing upkeep of their local World War I memorials”
“The profound impact of the war moved citizens in places across the United States to commemorate both the national and local sacrifices from the conflict through monuments, buildings, plaques, parks, groves, even roads and highways,” says the Commission,” but “many of these WWI memorials have deteriorated due to the ravages of time, exposure to the elements, neglect and even vandalism.”
The organizers provided $200,000 in matching grant funding and urged local organizations and individuals, including civic groups, service organizations, veterans groups and others, to nominate their restoration and commemoration initiatives for consideration for selection as one of the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials matching grant recipients.
One hundred of these local initiatives were to be selected to receive matching cash awards of up to $2,000 to help fund their restorative efforts.
On September 27, 2017, the organizers announced the first 50 official “WWI Centennial Memorials” awardees of the 100 Cites/100 Memorials program.
They included: The Cape May Soldier and Sailors Monument, Cape May City, NJ (lead photo); Carmel-by-the-Sea World War I Memorial Arch, Carmel-by-the Sea, CA; Chinese Americans Veterans Memorial, San Francisco, CA; Dough Boy Statue, Morton Grove, IL.; Sgt. Alvin C. York Gravesite, Pall Mall, TN; War Memorial Natatorium, Honolulu, HI; Victory Eagle WWI Memorial, Lawrence, KS; The Spirit of the American Doughboy, Swanton, OH.
Last week, the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library announced the final 50 WW1 Memorials to be awarded grants and honored with the official national designation as “WW1 Centennial Memorials.”
The newly-designated memorials are in 37 different states and each will receive a $2,000 matching grant, towards the restoration, conservation and maintenance of these local historical treasures.
The 100 memorials include such national landmarks as: Chicago’s “Soldier Field”, LA’s “Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum” (above), San Francisco’s “War Memorial Veterans Building and Opera House” (below), Honolulu’s “Natatorium” and Washington, D.C.’s “National World War I Memorial at Pershing Park,” according to the Commission.
Also the 307th InfantryMemorial Grove at New York City’s Central Park, below.
There are also smaller local community projects honored such as: Scranton Pennsylvania’s “Col. Frank Duffy Memorial Bridge and Park”, Ocean Springs, Mississippi’s “Emile Ladnier WWI Memorial,” North Carolina’s NC State University “Memorial Belltower,”and the War Memorial in Bedford, Indiana (below)
“More than 4 million American families sent their sons and daughters to serve in uniform during World War I, 116,516 U.S. soldiers died in the war and another 200,000 were wounded,” said Terry Hamby, commissioner of the United States World War One Centennial Commission. “100 Cities/100 Memorials is a critically important initiative that will have an impact beyond these grants. These memorials represent an important part of remembering our past and preserving our culture.”
Please go to the complete list of the 100 awardees here to see if your hometown is included.
