Winnebago County War Memorial
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| Winnebago County War Memorial | |
|---|---|
| United States of America | |
| Mh001.jpg |
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| For The Veterans of Winnebago County | |
| Unveiled | June 3, 1903; Dedicated by the 26th US President Theodore Roosevelt |
| Location | |
| Memorial Hall | |
The War Memorial Building, more commonly known as Memorial Hall, was built from 1901 to 1903, was originally dedicated to those who served in the Civil War and the Spanish American War. It is said to be the first of its kind in the United States. It is located on the west side, one block from the Rock River in Rockford, Illinois, across the street from the Rockford Public Library, formerly the Carnegie Library. Initially conceived to be in the honor and memory of just those who from Winnebago County, Illinois that served in the American Civil War, however supporters added a listing of Spanish-American War Veterans from the county before building was begun. Other war veterans were later memorialized inside and outside the hall. The War Memorial is one of the few war memorials that is not a monument. The building is administered by the Winnebago County Board through the Memorial Hall Board of Trustees. The War Memorial was dedicated on June 3, 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt.
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[edit] The Building
The War Memorial is a two story building with a basement, with the west side, or front, and the east side identical with the words 'Memorial Hall' and the year '1902' engraved on front of the building. Only the west side (the front), which is facing Main Street, has the address of the hall on it. The first floor acts as a museum and has rooms that are lined with 18 plaques with the names of individuals that served on the Union side of the Civil War who were from regiments from the immediate area. On those same plaques are listed separately the names of those who died in the war. The second floor has an auditorium with a stage. The basement also has space for office and storage and is accessible for the handicap from this area. Offices for the Disabled American Veterans and the Veterans of Foreign Wars are also located in the basement area. All three floors are service by an elevator. It has a Howletzer located on the east side and a memorial plaque for the Blue Star Highway sits on the lawn. A large flag pole graces the west entrance and a smaller flag pole is on the east lawn.
The interior was elaboratly painted with symbols and names associated with the Grand Army of the Republic and the Civil War. In the main hall, along the top of the walls, are listed the names of over 20 battles that citizens of Winnebago County participated in.
[edit] The beginning
The idea of some sort of war memorial was proposed as far back as 1866 when W.P. Kinney, minister of the Second Congregational Church, first proposed the idea of some sort of monument to honor the memory of the 2,109 soldiers and sailors from Winnebago County that had served in the Civil War. In March 1877 John D. Jackson made a proposal to the Winnebago County Board seeking $25,000 for the copnstruction of a soldier’s monument. As a side note an amendment to that resolution by Robert Simpson to make the monument a ‘hall’. Despite the successful passing of the amendment the proposal was defeated.
In 1900 the question of constructing a Memorial Hall put to the voters of Winnebago County which passed aby a vote of 6,021 to 2,757. In December of that year, Thomas G. Lawler, commander of the Garrett L. Nervius Post #1 of the Grand Army of the Republic, present a petition containing more than 200 veterans requesting that the county build a Memorial Hall. The petition asked that the hall not only be a memorial for veterans of the county but also for the hall to be used for other county purposes.
[edit] The construction
Construction on the War Memorial began in early 1901 in the Greek revival style, with Indiana or Bedford limestone quaried from the Bedford, Indiana quary, which was the stone used in most of the buildings and monuments in Washington, D.C. and recently used to repair the Pentagon after the 9/11 attack. Construction of Memorail Hall was finished in 18 month with a total cost of $59,136.
[edit] The dedication by President Roosevelt
In February 1903 J.B. Whitehead extended an invition to the sitting President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, to dedicate the hall which the president graciously accepted. On June 3rd, President Roosevelt arrived in Rockford via train and was met by a reception committee of leading citizens of Winnebago County and Rockford. The president and his party was taken by open carriages to Memorial Hall. Entering from the east side fo the building, Roosevelt took a moment to inspect and admire the interior before exiting it to deliver his dedication speech. He stated in his speech that "No more fitting memorial could be elected to the memory of the men who fought, than a hall such as this - a hall beautiful because of the uses to which it is consecrated." After his speech he proceeded to raise a flag that had flown from the decks of the Milwaulkee class vessel USS Winnebago up the flagpole.
After the ceremonies concluded the presidential party then returned to their carriages and proceeded to take a round about way back to the train to wave and greet children which were lining the streets before departing Rockford 51 minutes after his arrival.
President Roosevelt became the only sitting president to dedicate a Memorial building still standing within the state of Illinois. He would return to Rockford, twice more, once on April 6, 1912 and again on September 16, 1917, where he addressed the troops at nearby Camp Grant during World War I.
[edit] Uses of the hall
On the same day that President Roosevelt dedicated Memorial Hall, the Nervius Post #1 of the GAR held its first meeting in the building. Over the hundred plus years of its existence, Memorial Hall has hosted a total of over 60 different veteran or associated military groups for various events and meeting. The hall was threatened with demolition 1960s when the County Board proposed to demolish the hall in favor of building a parking ramp in order to extend the parking lot located next to it. In the 1980s to help offset the costs of its up keep, the Winnebago County Board rented the first floor offices to the Rockford Convention and Visitor's Bureau until early 2004. It’s future was furthered assured when in 1974 the building was named an Illinois Historical Landmark and 1976, Memorial Hall was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in time for the United States Bicentennial.
In 1988 a four year $1.5 million restoration project began in response to the parking garage attempt and the fact the building had started to deteriorate due to lack of maintenance. In 1973 a garden dedicated to the veterans of the Vietnam War was dedicated and in 1966 a large stone marker commerating the hall’s dedication was placed on the west side of the building in front of the entrance.
Exhibits include the 18 bronze plaques containing the names of those from Winnebago County who fought and died in the Civil War, memorabilia extending from the Revolutionary War to the current Iraq War. Some unique articles on display include a Word War One Chauchat light machine gun, a commemorative plaque cast of metal from the wreck of the USS Maine, items from the Revolutionary War, War if 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Civil War on display with other artifacts from 20th & 21st century wars, as well as several artifacts handled and used by President Theodore Roosevelt.
Elaborate paintings were initially part of the interior however some have been covered up or painted over or were irreparablly lost due to the lack of maintenance and pollution. In November 2001 the Memorial Hall Board of Trustees were form to oversee the Hall, it’s maintenance and it’s exhibits as well as authoring a report on future operations. In December 2004, Mr. Terry Dyer, a longtime historical and war enthusist, was appointed by the County Board as the On-Site Manager and Curator. Dyer, who is the descendant of one of the individuals listed on the plaques, with the help of the Board of Trustees and the Memorial Hall Volunteer group, is attempting to restore and gather lost or misplaced items belonging to the hall, seeking contributions to the collection, as well as restoring as much of the enterior grandure that was deteriorated due to the lack of maintenance.
In January 2005 Memorial Hall was officially reopenned to the public for guided tours. Since then many veterans, political and military associated groups have taken advantage of the facilities.
In September, 2006, a special exhibit of potraits of casulities on the War on Terrorism started a tour of the state at Memorial Hall with Illinois Lt. Governor Pat Quinn dedicating the exhibit in the GAR Room.
[edit] 100th Anniversary
The 100th Anniversary of the dedication of the War Memorial were celebrated in 2003. An invitation was sent to President George W. Bush, which was declined, although he sent a congratulatory letter to the hall which was converted into a plaque, along with the Roosevelt dedication remarks, and now is next to the east side (or rear door) entrance. The celebration ceremonies went on with a Theodore Roosevelt imitator who gave the same speech that President Roosevelt gave at the original dedication. The city of Rockford 2003 City Stickers celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the War Memorial.
[edit] Notes
- The first name listed on the section of the plaques listing the war dead is E.F.W. Ellis who was killed in action during the Battle of Shiloh. For many years Ellis' uniform and sword was on display in the main hall of the building but the items have since disappeared before the Memorial Hall Board of Trustees took over.
- The Garrett L. Nervius Post #1 of the Grand Army of the Republic was named after Captain Garrett L. Nervius, who died during the Battle of Vicksburg.
- There is an effort to reestablish the chapter of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War that was once located in Rockford. It is the intention of the organizers to name it the General John A. Logan Post, which is intending to meet at Memorial Hall. General Logan, who was an Illinois Politician and Resident, was a former Commander-in-Chief of the GAR who issued General Order #11 that established what we now call Memorial Day. The original post was created in 1885 and did meet in Memorial Hall after it was opened.
- Thomas Lawler, who served as the Commander of the Garrett L. Nervius Post #1, GAR for over forty (40) years, also served as the Commander-in-Chief of the GAR.
- Original cannon which was placed on the lawns of Memorial Hall were contributed for the war effort during World War II and melted down.
- Memorial Hall is located near three other buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. The Coronado Theater is located one block from the hall while the Elk's Lodge Building is located directly next door to the north of the Hall. Also nearby is the Rockford Register-Star Building.
- In 1969 an arsonist unsuccessfully attempted to burn down Memorial Hall. This event started the process to try to tear down the hall until it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
[edit] References
- Dyer, Terry R., History of the Grand Army of the Republic, Memorial Hall, Rockford, Illinois
