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Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina
Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina
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Source:  Fines Creek War Dead, Fines Creek. Photo courtesy of Rusty Long

  • Monument Name

    Fines Creek War Dead, Fines Creek

  • Type

    War Memorial

  • Subjects

    World War I

    World War II

  • City

    Fines Creek

  • County

    Haywood

  • Description

    The Fines Creek War Dead memorial is a rectangular tablestone style marker on a double base. Carved out of the tablestone is a full sized World War Two style military helmet draped with a flag. In addition to war dead from World War I and World War II the name of a man who died in 1937 while on duty in Panama was added later.

    Images: Far-off view | Fines Creek Fire Department

  • Inscription

    Front: KILLED IN ACTION / 1917 WORLD WAR I 1918 / HERMAN RATHBONE / 1941 WORLD WAR II 1945 / CHARLIE SUTTON / JAMES ROGERS / CLEM JENKINS / HARRY NOLAND / GLEN PRICE / BOYD MESSER / JOHN RATHBONE
    THESE DEAD SHALL NOT HAVE DIED IN VAIN

    Upper base top: DIED WHILE IN SERVICE TO THEIR COUNTRY

    Upper base left front edge: DAVIS ROWE CLARK / 1912-1937 / USN PANAMA

  • Custodian

    Fines Creek Volunteer Fire Department

  • Dedication Date

    July 6, 1947

  • Decade

    1940s

  • Geographic Coordinates

    35.682430 , -82.955210 View in Geobrowsemap pin

  • Supporting Sources

      “A Short History of Fines Creek, North Carolina,” Fines Creek.org, (accessed June 26, 2017) Link

      “Fines Creek Monument to Be Moved to Fire Department,” Asheville Citizen-Times (Asheville, NC), December 7, 1994

      “War Memorial Dedication Set at Fines Creek,” Asheville Citizen-Times (Asheville, NC), July 3, 1947, 5

  • Public Site

    Yes

  • Materials & Techniques

    Granite

  • Sponsors

    Veterans of Foreign Wars and subscription from the local community

  • Location

    The marker stands in front of the Fines Creek Volunteer Fire Department to the right of the front door. The address is 244 Fines Creek Road, Clyde, NC. To reach the memorial one travels north about 8 miles on highway 209 from I-40, then left onto Max Patch Road and left onto Fines Creek. The Fire Department is on the right behind a large stone building that once housed the local school.

  • Landscape

    The fire department and surrounding buildings are located in an open mountain valley with wooded ridge lines behind and in front.

  • Relocated

    Yes

  • Former Locations

    The marker was first located on the Fines Creek School grounds. It was relocated to the Fines Creek Volunteer Department in late 1994 after the school was permanently closed. The Fire Department is on a large open lot behind the closed school. It was planned to rededicate the marker during the spring of 1995.

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