2003 Year in Review

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Morrison Veteran's Memorial Park Plan presented....

On Wednesday June 18, 2003 the Morrison Historical Preservation Committee met at Morrison City Hall with the primary item on their agenda, the proposed Veteran's Memorial to be located on the South edge of Grove Hill Cemetery near High Street. Chairman Dick Groharing introduced landscape architect Joel Cook who brought along his proposed designs for the memorial.

Mr. Cook presented a design which allows for retaining the existing speakers stand, the fountain, and all of the existing memorials to fallen veterans. The overall design has ample space for audiences, which would be seated or standing looking East into the speaker's stand, which would be rotated to face West and virtually stay in the same relative position as it now sits.A series of connecting sidewalks would lead to a centerpiece of flag staffs and the new 105 mm howitzer recently obtained by the city (now being refurbished at Hunter Body Shop). The existing fountain at the far West end would be retained and replicated immediately to the South to be used as a flower bed. The entire network of sidewalks would be patterned in the brick theme that was achieved in the downtown Main street area around the new street lights.

Mr.Cook also displayed a design for the landscaping which included plantings of new trees, shrubbery, and flowers. He explained his vision of how the plantings were important to both beautify and encapsulate the special place the memorial park was to become. He explained these drawings were preliminary and could be modified as the committee desired.

Chairman Groharing requested imput and comment from the committee members and various questions were asked regarding lighting, security issues for the howitzer, and the type of memorial to be created for veterans.

The apparent consensus is to build a curved retaining wall which would contain either granite or bricks which could be added with veterans names. The precise method of how these bricks could be actually manufactured and added on as the years pass is not yet decided. In finalizing the meeting Chairman Groharing surprised everyone by displaying his personal 105mm cannon shell which he stated "will not be on display with the howitzer".All were relieved to note the shell was the casing only!

by Bob Vaughn, theCity1.com
June 19, 2003