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Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina
Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina
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Source:  Veterans Memorial, Sawmills. Photo by Rusty Long

  • Monument Name

    Veterans Memorial, Sawmills

  • Type

    War Memorial

  • Subjects

    Veterans of Multiple Wars

  • Creator

    Foothills Monument Company, Granite Falls, NC, Builder

    Alisha White Coleman, Architect

  • City

    Sawmills

  • County

    Caldwell

  • Description

    The Sawmills Veterans Memorial consists of five upright black granite slabs arranged in a semi-circle. Each slab stands on a single gray granite base and each is caped with a piece of gray granite. The center slab has the Town of Sawmills logo in color at the top. The inscription is centered on the slab and bracketed by coats of arms for branches of the military. On the left side, top to bottom, are the Army, Navy and Coast Guard. On the right side, top to bottom, are the Air Force, Marine Corps and Merchant Marines. Names of men from the Sawmills area fill the front of the other four slabs and part of the rear of the far left slab. The area around the monument is concrete and holds a flag pole and five black granite benches. A dedication stone is set into the concrete in front of the center slab. Next to the far right slab is a metal silhouette of a soldier, helmet in one hand, rifle in the other, kneeling in prayer in front of a battlefield cross.

    Images: Dedication stone | Praying soldier | Praying soldier plaque | Far-off view | Slab with names (front center left) | Slab with names (front center right) | Slab with names (front far left) | Slab with names (back far left)

  • Inscription

    Center stone: VETERANS MEMORIAL / DEDICATED TO ALL VETERANS / OF THE SAWMILLS AREA TO / THE HONOR AND GLORY OF / THOSE WHO BRAVELY SERVED / TO KEEP OUR COUNTRY FREE / DEDICATED 2010 / BY / TOWN OF SAWMILLS

    Dedication stone: TOWN OF SAWMILLS / VETERAN’S MEMORIAL PARK / THIS MONUMENT WAS / COMPLETED AND DEDICATED / ON / NOVEMBER 13, 2010 /
    [Left side] TOWN COUNCIL / BOB GIBBS MAYOR / EDDIE BOWMAN MAYOR PRO TEM / CERELENE BLEVINS / BEVERLY FRY / DONNIE POTTER / JOE WESSON /
    [Right side] ARCHITECT / ALISHA WHITE COLEMAN / CONSTRUCTION COMPANY / WILKIE CONSTRUCTION CO. INC. / FOOTHILLS MONUMENT CO. INC.

    Praying soldier plaque: IN HONOR OF / SFC BOBBY D. HARMON / SSG CLYDE W. HARMON / SGT ANTHONY D. HARMON / DAV CHAPTER 6 / TRI-COUNTY / VFW POST 5381

  • Custodian

    Town of Sawmills

  • Dedication Date

    November 13, 2010

  • Decade

    2010s

  • Geographic Coordinates

    35.788210 , -81.483950 View in Geobrowsemap pin

  • Supporting Sources

      Town of Sawmills. "Veterans Park," townofsawmills.com, (accessed August 14, 2020) Link

      “Veterans,” Foothills Monument Company, (accessed July 14, 2020) Link

  • Public Site

    Yes

  • Materials & Techniques

    Granite, metal

  • Location

    The memorial is located in Veterans Memorial Park at the end of Waterworks Road, Sawmills, NC 28630.

  • Landscape

    The park is next to Lake Rhodhiss with a view of the mountains in the distance. The park features soccer and baseball/softball fields, a children’s playground and other amenities.

  • Post Dedication Use

    An annual Memorial Day celebration is held each year at the park.

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