Hickory Veterans Memorial, Hickory
This 210 MM German Howitzer sits on a brick base in a grassy area. In front of the cannon sits a marker with an inscription that details the importance of the cannon and the memorial as a whole. Originally the cannon was placed to honor those from the community who served in World War I. Later, it was rededicated to honor all veterans from the area who served their country. The rededication of the cannon is noted on a metal plaque that is in the bottom right corner of the marker.
Images:
Dedication plaque |
Front view of the howitzer |
Side view
210MM GERMAN HOWITZER / SURRENDERED TO U.S. 1918 / PLACED HERE IN MEMORY THE / MEN FROM THIS COMMUNITY WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE WORLD WAR
ERECTED BY HICKORY / AMERICAN LEGION / POST NO. 48 5-30-27.
Plaque in bottom right corner: REDEDICATED BY AMERICAN LEGION POST 48 AND / VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS POST 1957 / TO ALL VETERANS MEN AND WOMEN OF THIS AREA / MAY 24, 1998
City of Hickory
May 30, 1927. Rededication: May 24, 1998
35.732100 , -81.341200
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Clark, Larry. “The World War I Cannon to be Repainted – Memorial go Get Facelift as Downtown Changes Begin,” Hickory Daily Record (Hickory, NC), July 13, 2012, (accessed February 4, 2015) Link
Goldberg, Jon. “Top Gun Ready to Roll,” The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, NC), December 5, 1997
“210 MM German Howitzer Hickory in Catawba County, North Carolina,” Waymarking.com, (accessed January 20, 2015) Link
“210 MM German Howitzer,” The Historical Marker Database, HMdb.org, (accessed January 20, 2015) Link
Yes
Steel, stone
Hickory American Legion Post 48
The cannon was erected and dedicated on May 30th, 1927 after the Hickory American Legion Post 48 and the city of Hickory funded $200 for the shipment of the cannon. The cannon was shipped to Hickory from New Jersey. On May 24th, 1998 the cannon was rededicated by the Hickory American Legion Post 48 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1957.
In 2012, the cannon was refurbished and repainted by Hickory’s public services department.
The memorial is located in the downtown area, in the west end of Union Square, between Main Avenue Northwest and a large brick plaza. A short distance east is the Tower of Miracles. Several blocks away on 2nd Street SW is the Old Hickory Tavern memorial.
The memorial stands on a pedestrian plaza, surrounded by a small lawn.
The memorial originally sat in Union Square, but was then moved to a grassy area by N.C. 127 in order for the streets of Hickory to be redesigned. After 22 years at this location the memorial was moved to the east side of downtown. Forty eight years later, it was moved across the street from the Ivey Arboretum.
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