2004 Year in Review

8 x 8 Stones being sold for Veterans' Park

Morrison Veterans' Memorial Park begins to take shape.

This Millstone memorial was restored and placed in the Park this week. Stones are being sold to put around this and other memorials.

A drawing of the 9 war memorials the Historic Preservation hopes to purchase with the sale of the 8 x 8 engraved bricks.

A restored World War I and II memorial was added to the Park this week.

For over a year a plan to honor Morrison’s Veterans has been building at Grove Hill Cemetery. The first signs appeared last fall with the movement of earth, a retaining wall, a donated howitzer cannon, and three new flagpoles. The park has been officially named Veterans’ Park and Memorial

For this year’s Memorial Day celebration, a fresh seeding of grass, new sidewalks, and two memorials have been added. Up to now most of the completed work and materials have been donated. Businesses and individuals in the area have given their time and materials to bring a plan on paper to reality.

One of the last major phases will be the addition of nine black granite monuments engraved with the major wars and deceased Veterans’ names as a memorial. They will be placed along the retaining wall facing the flags. The center dedication monument has been ordered and will be in place toward the end of 2004.

$40,000 is the estimated cost of the installed engraved stones. To offset the costs to the City yet have the monuments installed as quickly as possible Morrison’s Historic Preservation Commission, which is spearheading the project, is looking for ways to finance the plan. They are looking for major donations to the project from businesses to individuals. $4000 - 5000 will purchase a monument and get your name or business listed on the retaining wall side.

The Commission is selling 8” x 8” stepping stones with engraved names to provide a walkway around the monuments and raise money for the monuments. The stones can be engraved with up to four lines and twelve characters per line. Forms are available at the City Building or can be printed at Forms. Commission members will also have a table set up at the Memorial Day to sell the stones. Through Memorial Day the cost of the stones will be $80 after that day they will be sold for $100.

Moving the speakers stand 90 degrees to face the monuments, flags, and cannon will be the last major project to finish off the Veterans’ Park and Memorial.

A couple Commission members have been diligently researching Veterans’ names, what war they fought in, and their death dates. The Veterans will be placed on the stones by death dates. To see a current list of Veterans’ names visit the City of Morrison Web site.

by Barb Benson, theCity1.com
May 14, 2004