Downtown in Columbus in Franklin County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Birthplace of the Veterans of Foreign Wars
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., October 10, 2008
1. Birthplace of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Marker
On the evening of September 29, 1899, thirteen recently returned veterans of the Spanish-American War met in a tailor shop that once stood on this site. These men, all veterans of the Columbus-based 17th Infantry Regiment that had fought in Cuba, shared their memories of the conflict, honored their fallen comrades, and discussed issues of concern to all foreign service veterans. The organization that they formed that night, the American Veterans of Foreign Service, was the nucleus of a nationwide organization that became the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) in 1914. The oldest continuing national organization for veterans' affairs, the VFW traces its birth to this site in 1899.
Erected 2000. (Marker Number 32-25.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Fraternal or Sororal Organizations • Military • Patriots & Patriotism • War, Spanish-American. In addition, it is included in the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection series list. A significant historical date for this entry is September 29, 1871.
Location. Marker has been reported missing. It was located near 39° 57.422′ N, 82° 59.495′ W. Marker was in Columbus, Ohio, in Franklin County
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location. American Federation of Labor (approx. ¼ mile away); Starling Medical College and St. Francis Hospital (approx. ¼ mile away); Topiary Garden (approx. 0.3 miles away); Deaf School Park (approx. 0.3 miles away); Columbus Main Library / Judge Noah Swayne Home (approx. 0.3 miles away); Elaine Hastings Mason (approx. 0.3 miles away); Deaf School Park Topiary Garden: 'A Sunday Afternoon on the Ile de la Grande Jatte' (approx. 0.3 miles away); Central Presbyterian Church (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Columbus.
More about this marker. According to Remarkableohio.com the marker has been removed due to it being damaged. Google maps as of 2015 shows that the marker is no longer there.
Also see . . . Veterans of Foreign Wars. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on June 28, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., October 10, 2008
2. Birthplace of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Marker
Fisher Hall, Franklin University, in background.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., October 10, 2008
3. James Romanis, A Founding Father of the VFW
1878-1954, 17th United States Infantry, Spanish American War. Section 81, Green Lawn Cemetery, Columbus, Ohio.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., October 10, 2008
4. James Romanis, A Founding Father of the VFW
April 16, 1878-December 7, 1954. Ohio, Private, Company G 17th Regiment Infantry, Spanish American War.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 3, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 13, 2008, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 1,630 times since then and 12 times this year. Last updated on May 11, 2016, by Melanie Born of Parma, Ohio. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 13, 2008, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
