Martinsburg in Berkeley County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)
World War I Doughboy Monument
Photographed by Bradley Owen, August 15, 2024
1. World War I Doughboy Monument
The creation of this monument was sponsored by the local American Legion Berkeley Post 14 Ladies Auxiliary. This group of ladies formed the "Berkeley County Monument Association." They raised $7,000 to pay for the bronze statue and granite base. It took another three years to pay the debt of having the statue erected. The statue was designed and sculpted by Walter A. Sinz. Walter Sinz taught at the Cleveland Institute of Art for 41 years. The statue was manufactured at the Hirsch Bronze Works in Cleveland, OH and weighs 1,800 pounds. The granite base was made by the Berger Granite Company in Chambersburg, PA, and weighs 18,000 pounds. This statue is one of three in the United States. It's very similar to the E. M. Viquesney's life-size metal World War I memorial sculpture, "Spirit of the American Doughboy," identical replications of which were placed in approximately 140 locations across the United States. Mr. Sinz's design is life-size and very similar. The rifle is held by the right hand instead of the left hand and does not have the bayonet attached.
The monument was dedicated on May 30, 1925, and placed on federal
this page online
The M-BC Parks & Recreation Board, which managed the project, secured funding from the State of West Virginia, City of Martinsburg, and Berkeley County Council for $17,500 each. The statue and plaques were transported to Matthews International in Pittsburgh, PA. The statue and two of the original plaques were restored and refinished to excellent condition. The other two plaques were manufactured new. In the summer of 2021, excavation began and the footer as well as the concrete apron were poured. In the early fall of 2021, the original granite base was placed. Later that fall the refurbished statue was erected. The project was completed in early 2022, with the installation of ornamental metal fencing, lighting, and landscaping with sod, shrubbery and decorative stone.
What
Photographed by Bradley Owen, August 15, 2024
2. World War I Doughboy Monument
(Caption):
The monument was officially unveiled during the dedication ceremony held on May 30, 1925.
Erected 2022 by Martinsburg-Berkeley County Parks & Recreation.
Topics. This historical marker and monument is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • War, World I. A significant historical date for this entry is May 30, 1925.
Location. 39° 28.04′ N, 77° 58.808′ W. Marker is in Martinsburg, West Virginia, in Berkeley County. It can be reached from North Tennessee Ave (County Route 13) north of Memorial Park Avenue, on the left when traveling north. Marker is located in War Memorial Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 500 North Tennessee Avenue, Martinsburg WV 25401, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker and monument is in the Eastern Panhandle. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within one mile of this marker, measured as the crow flies: World War I Monument (here, next to this marker); Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); J. R. Clifford (approx. 0.8 miles away); Sumner-Ramer Memorial School (approx. 0.8 miles away); “Oh Shenandoah, I Long to See You!” (approx. 0.8 miles away); World War Memorial (approx. one mile away); Martinsburg / Berkeley Riflemen (approx. one mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Martinsburg.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 20, 2024. It was originally submitted on August 20, 2024, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 363 times since then and 65 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 20, 2024, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.
