Lake Placid in North Elba in Essex County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Lake Placid World War Memorial

"Benson Memorial"

Photographed by Conrad Ward, March 8, 2025

1. Lake Placid World War Memorial

(southwest face)

Inscription.
(southwest face)
In abiding memory of the sons of Lake Placid who gave their lives at the call of their country in the World War
1917-1918

(northeast face)
Their name liveth for evermore
Mervin E Bennett • Alfred C Costello • David Michael Dwyer • Cecil T Ernenwein • Albert E Foley • John Toohey • Edward James Wilkins • Harold Landon Wilkins

Erected 1929 by William S. Benson.

Topics. This memorial is listed in this topic list: War, World I.

Location. 44° 17.125′ N, 73° 59.003′ W. Memorial is in North Elba, New York, in Essex County. It is in Lake Placid. It is at the intersection of Parkside Drive and Main Street (New York State Route 86), on the right when traveling north on Parkside Drive. Touch for map. Memorial is at or near this postal address: 2583 Main Street, Lake Placid NY 12946, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this memorial is in Upstate New York,

in the Adirondacks & North Country,

and in the Champlain Valley.

It is also in the American Northeast

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Great North Woods,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

New Netherland,

and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Kate Smith Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); The Gerald F. Cassidy Memorial Toboggan Slide Park (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Rev. J. Bernard Fell (about 400 feet away); Sonja Henie Ice Fountain (about 400 feet away); Everlasting Memory Memorial

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(approx. ¼ mile away); Service Memorial (approx. ¼ mile away); Mid's Park (approx. 0.3 miles away); Henry J. Kaiser (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in North Elba.

Also see . . . Lake Placid News - Remembering the Lake Placid 8. Or was it 9?.

Lake Placid’s World War I memorial at the Adirondack Community Church was known as the “Benson memorial” in 1929 when it was constructed. It was funded by William S. Benson, of Passaic, New Jersey, who had been a seasonal resident of Lake Placid for 30 years when the memorial was dedicated on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 2, 1929.

About 2,000 people attended the dedication ceremony, according to the Sept. 6, 1929, issue of the News, which stated that the memorial was a gift to American Legion Post 326, “in honor of the memory of the eight men from Lake Placid who gave their lives for their country in the Great War.”

Prior to the dedication, a parade began at 1:55 p.m. at the Stevens House and proceeded to the town hall, up Mirror Lake Drive to Parkside Drive and the memorial. Parade participants included 28 Army soldiers and a firing squad of eight from Plattsburgh, including Capt. Archie Phinney, eight state police troopers from the Troop B barracks in Malone, “all mounted on black horses,” and
Photographed by Conrad Ward, March 8, 2025

2. Lake Placid World War Memorial
(northeast face)
more than 40 members of Lake Placid’s American Legion post, including commander Benton O. Ames.

(Submitted on September 13, 2025.)

Photographed by Conrad Ward, March 8, 2025

3. Lake Placid World War Memorial

Photographed by Conrad Ward, March 8, 2025

4. Lake Placid World War Memorial

Credits. This page was last revised on September 13, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 13, 2025, by Conrad Ward of Guilford, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 82 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 13, 2025, by Conrad Ward of Guilford, Connecticut. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.