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Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina
Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina
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Source:  Caswell County World War I Memorial, Yanceyville, Photo courtesy of Rusty Long

  • Monument Name

    Caswell County World War I Memorial, Yanceyville

  • Type

    Marker

  • Subjects

    World War I

  • City

    Yanceyville

  • County

    Caswell

  • Description

    This marble marker with a plaque is dedicated to the men of Caswell County who fought in the first World War. It is located on the Caswell County Courthouse square in a memorial garden. The plaque is atypical in that it lists both black and white men who fought and died in WWI.

    Postcard image

  • Inscription

    LEST WE FORGET / THIS MEMORIAL IS ERECTED BY THE / CITIZENS OF CASWELL COUNTY WITH / PRIDE AND GRATEFUL APPRECIATION / FOR THE SERVICES OF THE CASWELL / BOYS WHO MADE THE SUPREME / SACRIFICE IN THE WORLD WAR. MKS /
    WHITE / ALVIS CHANDLER / JOHN BARKER THACKER / HENRY ANDERSON SOLOMON / BENJAMIN FRANKLIN BROOKS / ALGERNON SIDNEY NEAL / ROY PATTILLO / EDWIN MOORE / GEORGE THOMAS WARREN / GERNIE M. SMITH /
    COLORED / JOHN LYNN / JOHN LEA / MOSES JEFFRESS / THOMAS PHELPS / ALEXANDER HARRIS / WILLIE WARREN / LAWRENCE LEA / BYRD FULLER / RUFFIN LEA

  • Custodian

    Caswell County

  • Dedication Date

    The monument was likely erected sometime in the 1920s to 1930s.

  • Decade

    1920s

  • Geographic Coordinates

    36.403000 , -79.336550 View in Geobrowsemap pin

  • Supporting Sources

      "Caswell Courthouse," The Historical Marker Database, HMdb.org, (accessed August 29, 2016) Link

      "Yanceyville Square World War I Memorial," Caswell County Association, ncccha.blogspot.com, February 21, 2008, (accessed February, 09, 2012) Link

      Anderson, George. Caswell County in the World War, 1917-1918, (Raleigh, NC: Edward & Boughton Printing Co., 1921) Link

  • Public Site

    Yes

  • Controversies

    According to the Caswell County Historical Association, "On February 2, 2009 a Mr. Eddie Davis working for a group called Inclusive North Carolina brought to the attention of the regular session of the Caswell County Board of Commissioners the issue of the segregation of white and black names on the memorial. He proposed that a new alphabetical listing be used given the times."

  • Location

    The monument is located in front of the Caswell County courthouse, at 144 Courthouse Square, Yanceyville NC 27379. Caswell County Veterans Monument and Confederate monument stand a few feet away.

  • Landscape

    The memorial stands in the middle of a large city square, on a well-maintained lawn, surrounded by seasonal plants, bushes, and trees.

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