Grove of Remembrance

100 Cities / 100 Memorials

In Baltimore’s historic Druid Hill Park, a grove of oak trees stand sentinel before a simple, elegant stone and slate structure. For nearly one hundred years, this serene, sacred place has held the memories of thousands of American families touched by the First World War. It is possibly the oldest and largest scope memorial to the Great War in the United States. In October 1919, women attending the War Mothers of America national convention in Baltimore travelled uptown to Druid Hill Park. In a quiet ceremony, mothers, sisters, and daughters planted 48 pin oak saplings – one for each of the United States. Five more trees stood for the three U.S. Allies, President Woodrow Wilson, and the City of Baltimore.  Cardinal Gibbons gave the blessing. The French ambassador to the U.S. gave the heartfelt gratitude of his nation. The State of Maryland donated the trees, the City of Baltimore donated the site and the upkeep - and the women gave their sweat and tears to create the Grove of Remembrance. Both the past and the future were present – aged Civil War veterans attended, as well as 1,000 school children holding a giant U.S. flag. "Some of the scenes were unforgettable," The Sun reported as it described women planting trees in memory of the sons they had lost. "The silence was broken only by the sobs of the Gold Star Mothers." The Grove became a touchstone for grief, solace, and remembrance. On Mother's Day in 1927, former first lady Edith Wilson led groundbreaking ceremonies for a memorial stone-and-slate pavilion at the grove. Designed by noted Baltimore architects Palmer & Lamdin, the pavilion honored Lieutenant Merrill Rosenfeld, an Army officer and Baltimore attorney who died in the Argonne Forest in 1918. A bequest from his father added this sheltering focal point to the Grove.  Over the years, other trees have been planted for other wars and sacrifices. Through the decades and generations since, the Grove and Pavilion have stood stalwart and seen the neighborhood change. The Grove of Remembrance was restored, improved, and rededicated in October 2019  in commemoration of the centennial of World War I.

A sliver of land along a busy highway near Watsonville holds an old memorial, dedicated on January 1, 1919. It is a grove of live oak trees, fronted by a large sandstone monolith. Embedded in the face of the monolith is a brass marker, which reads, in part:

Under the leadership of the American Legion, the people of the Pajaro Valley have dedicated this grove of remembrance in loving memory of their sons who gave their lives in the service of their country, 1917-1919.

An eight foot tall granite stele is decorated with a bronze in­scription plaque with a relief of an eagle perched on a flag. It was made by Sullivan Monument Works and was erected in 1923 to honor the Groveland men who died in WWI.

THE GUS STANLEY MEMORIAL/
THESE TWO TREES PLANTED AND DEDICATED / BY THEIR FRIENDS AND
NEIGHBORS / TO THE MEMORY OF / THE FOLLOWING MEN OF 180 STREET
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN WORLD WAR II
WOODWARD W. CRAWFORD MILTON G. STATHIS/
COSTAS LEKANIDES ANDREW G. SUMAKIS/
OLIVER LEON CHARLES WEINSTEIN/
STEPHEN OLANCIN EDWARD S. SCHMELZER JR./
VITO A. SCARINGI JOHN WILLIAMS/

SIZE:TABLET: 1'H X 1'8", PLINTH 1'5"H X 2'1"W X 2 1/2"D

Guthrie Park Gold Star Memorial

100 Cities / 100 Memorials

First dedicated in 1921, this memorial initially consisted of four boulders encircling a flag pole.  A boulder was dedicated to each of three Riverside residents killed while serving in World War I, and the fourth boulder was to commemorate all of those killed during the Great War.  The memorial was expanded in 1948 with the addition of a much larger boulder with a plaque honoring Riverside residents killed in action during World War II. After time, additional plaques were affixed to list those killed while serving in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

     A portion is dedicated to Gwinnett residents who gave their lives during World War I. Gwinnett's Fallen Heroes Memorial pays tribute to all Gwinnett residents who died in the line of duty in military or public safety service.

     From native Americans "who were the first to love this land," to the most recent casualties, the memorial honors about 700 individuals, organized by categories of service. Their names, in random order and without rank, are carved on 13 black granite markers, which are nine feet tall and weigh almost four tons each. A central pedestal features a Gwinnett firefighter's bronze sculpture of an eagle carrying a rose.

Located inside the Amvets Chapter 10 Building

This park is home to memorials for those who lost their lives in WWI, WWII, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and the 9/11 attacks. Additionally, the park features a wooden chainsaw-carved sculpture depicting a bald eagle with a servicemember's rifle, helmet, and boots. The sculpture, titled "The Soldier's Cross," is dedicated to "all those who have served and sacrificed."

The inscription on this memorial reads:

IN HONOR OF
OUR BOYS OF HALIFAX AND VICINITY
WHO SERVED THE AMERICAN COLORS IN
THE GREAT WORLD WAR
FOR LIBERTY AND HUMANITY

[Honor Roll listing of names].

This 3 inch field artillery piece is on permanent display on the Memorial Plaza at Riverside Military Academy. It is understood to be the same model used by trainees at Camp Gordon during World War 1.

The inscription on this memorial, erected by The Morningside Garden Club in 1932, reads:

ERECTED IN MEMORY OF THE 22 HAMBLEN COUNTY BOYS WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE IN THE WORLD WAR.

This memorial was restored and rededicated in 1997 by Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 5266 and two of its members, James L Dalton, Jr. and his son, Dana L. Dalton.

On a large granite boulder is a bronze sculpture of a spread-winged eagle, holding an anchor in its talons. It was created by Angelo Lualdi and dedicated on October 5, 1924, to commemorate the men and women from Hamilton who served in WWI.

The plaque located here was erected in 1939 to honor WW1 veterans.