The World War One Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum & Library, in partnership with The American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, recently announced the first 50 memorials officially designated as WWI Centennial Memorials. The memorials are in 28 different states and each will receive a $2,000 matching grant funds towards the restoration and maintenance of these memorials through 100 Cities/100 Memorials.

The 100 Cities/100 Memorials was created to help draw attention to WWI memorials across the United States and enables all of America to take part in the WWI Centennial Commemoration. Many of these World War I war memorials have deteriorated due to exposure to the elements, neglect and even vandalism and all require maintenance.  Two-hundred thousand dollars in matching funds have been allocated by the World War One Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum & Library, with additional support from The American Legion and Veterans of Foreign War, to restore these memorials back to their physical beauty and to help actively raise public awareness of those who served and of the effect this global conflict still has on today’s society. These community treasures are a tangible connection to the profound impact this war had on local towns and cities, securing an important place in military history.

“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.”

A second round of submission period will be open from Sept.27 through January 15, 201:  Click here for more. Valid applications not selected during the first round of awards will be rolled over to the second phase for consideration. 100 Cites/100 Memorials plans to announce the remaining 50 WWI Centennial Memorials on April 6, 2018, the anniversary of the U.S. entry to WWI. All 100 recipients will receive a matching grant of $2,000 for memorial restorations and be officially designated by the United States World War One Centennial Commission as a WWI Centennial Memorial. Memorials must be completed by Veterans Day, November 11, 2018, the one-hundred-year anniversary of the day that WWI fighting ceased, leading to the end of the war.

“By designating 100 WWI memorials across the nation, we believe the breadth and scope of this initiative will have a ripple effect beyond these 100 centennial memorials,” said Kenneth Clarke, president and CEO of the Pritzker Military Museum and Library and founding partner of the Centennial Commission. “By restoring these monuments and memorials —whether it is a simple project like landscaping,  cleaning, or making significant repairs—as a nation, we honor the names of those who served and the history of the communities where they lived.”

The first 50 projects due to receive the WWI Centennial Memorial designation and funding include:

Name of Memorial Organization/Team City State
‘The Survivor’ WWI War

Monument Beaverton,

Michigan 48612

WWI Monument

Restoration Team,

Beaverton, Michigan

Beaverton MI
“Over the Top to Victory” Doughboy Statue (Missoula County, MT) Missoula County Missoula MT
“Spiritualized Life” sculpture located in Memorial Park, Jacksonville, Florida Memorial Park Association, Inc. Jacksonville FL
Baldwin (NY) WWI Memorial American Legion Post # 246 & Community Baldwin NY
Berkeley, California World War I Commemorative Plaque (circa 1923) Berkeley Historical Plaque Project Berkeley CA
Brown County Texas WWI Memorial Central Texas Veterans Memorial, Inc Brownwood TX
Burlington City Sons of the American Legion Rock of the Marne BC Rocks of the Marne Burlington NJ
Cape May Soldier and Sailors Monument Greater Cape May

Historical Society

Cape May City NJ
Carmel-by-the-Sea World War I Memorial Arch American Legion Post 512 Carmel-by-the-Sea CA
Chinese Americans Veterans Memorial VFW Post 4618 & American Legion, Cathay Post #384 & SF Recreation & Parks Department San Francisco

 

CA
Doughboy Statue Morton Grove Historical Society Morton Grove IL
Dover Patrol War Memorial – City of New York City of New York, NYC Parks, Art & Antiquities Brooklyn NY
Fort George G. Meade WWI Memorial Descendants & Friends of the 314th Infantry A.E.F. Ft. Meade MD
Gold Star Memorial at Guthrie Park, Riverside, IL American Legion Post 488 and Village of Riverside Riverside IL
Gosman Statue American Legion Post #20 Dillon MT
Harvard World War I Monument War Monument Restoration Committee, Town of Harvard, MA Harvard MA
Highbridge War Memorial Doughboy Plaque Replication City of New York, NYC Parks, Art & Antiquities Bronx NY
Hudson World War One Memorial Peninsula Architects Hudson OH
Jacob Cousins Memorial Renovation Project Friends of the Eastern Promenade Portland ME
Jenkintown Borough WW1 Monument Jenkintown War Monument Restoration Committee Jenkintown PA
John Burke Memorial Park- Polk County Gold Star Monument Iowa World War I Centennial Committee Des Moines IA
Memorial Belltower Rear Admiral Ralph E. Suggs, U.S. Navy (Ret.) NCSU, Douglas G. Morton, U.S. Navy (Ret.) NCSU Raleigh NC
Memorial Grove at Green Hill Park Green Hill Park Coalition Inc. and The City of Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester MA
Memorial Park Stewards of Memorial Park Mobile AL
Memorial Tablet at Victory Memorial Grove Los Angeles – Eschscholtzia Daughters of the American Revolution Chapter of Southern California Los Angeles CA
Miantonomi Memorial Park Tower Miantonomi Memorial Park Commission; City of Newport, RI; American Legion Newport Post 7; Newport Open Space Partnership Newport RI
Muskogee Doughboy Reverend John Robinson Chapter, NSDAR, Muskogee Doughboy Restoration Project Muskogee OK
Ninth Ward victory Arch Monumental Task Committee, Inc. New Orleans LA
Pierson World War l Monument Harrison F. Pedersen Post 291, The American Legion Pierson IA
Rutherford World War l Memorial Borough of Rutherford Rutherford NJ
Sgt. Alvin C. York Gravesite Sgt. York Patriotic Foundation and Jamestown Rotary Club Pall Mall TN
Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Friends of Wilmington Parks, Inc. Wilmington DE
Soldiers Memorial Military Museum Missouri Historical Society St. Louis MO
Spirit of the American Doughboy Sculpture Valley Appleton WI
The Spirit of the American Doughboy Village of Swanton Swanton OH
The World War Memorial VFW, Pacific Post 968 Raymond WA
Trafford World War l Trafford Veterans Memorial Renovation Committee Trafford PA
USS Tampa Memorial Window USS Tampa 100 Committee Tampa FL
Veterans of World War l of the U.S.A Monument Arizona Statewide World War l Memorials and Monuments Restoration Team Phoenix AZ
Victory Eagle WWl Memorial KU Endowment Association Lawrence KS
Victory Memorial Friends of the 370th
INF Regiment
Chicago IL
Village of Glen Carbon WWl Seaton/Trenatz Doughboy Statue Glen Carbon Historical Museum Commission Glen Carbon IL
War memorial Natatorium Hawaii WWl Centennial Commemoration Task Force Honolulu HI
Wheaton Illinois WWl Obelisk Wheaton Park District Wheaton IL
Winnetka Cenotaph Memorial New Trier Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4831 Winnetka IL
Word War l Memorial Village of Ridgewood Ridgewood NJ
World War l Doughboy Memorial Althenthal-Joerns American Legion
Post 158
Jackson MO
World War l Memorial Fountain West Tennessee
Great War Project
Jackson TN
World War l Monument Borough of Danville Danville PA
WWl dough boy monument Weber County Historical Society and American Legion Post 9 Ogden Utah Ogden UT

 


This article was submitted to VAntage Point by the World War I Centennial Commission.

About the World War I Centennial Commission
The Commission was established by the World War I Centennial Commission Act, passed Jan. 16, 2013, and is responsible for planning, developing and executing programs, projects, and activities to commemorate the centennial of World War I. The mission is to educate the country’s citizens about the causes, courses and consequences of the war; honor the heroism and sacrifice of those Americans who served, and commemorate the Great War through public programs and initiatives. To learn more about the Commission activities, visit ww1cc.org/tools.

 

About the Pritzker Military Museum & Library

Founded in 2003, the Pritzker Military Museum & Library, located in downtown Chicago, is a nonprofit center where citizens and soldiers come together to learn about military history and affairs. The Museum & Library features an extensive collection of books, programs, artifacts, and rotating exhibits covering many eras and branches of the military. Programs include a lending library, the archives, recorded TV shows, podcasts and oral histories, and museum exhibits. To learn more about the Pritzker Military Museum & Library, visit www.pritzkermilitary.org or @PritzkerMilitaryLibrary on Facebook.

About The American Legion

The nation’s largest wartime Veterans organization, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, Veterans care and rehabilitation, Americanism and youth programs. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through nearly 14,000 posts across the nation. www.Legion.org.

About the Veterans of Foreign War (VFW)

The VFW is a nonprofit Veterans service organization composed of eligible Veterans and military service members from the active, Guard and Reserve forces. The VFW and its Auxiliaries are dedicated to Veterans service, legislative advocacy, and military and community service programs.

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