Not forgotten - WWI monument gets makeover in time for Memorial Day

By ADAM DRAPCHO, LACONIA DAILY SUN

LACONIA — Nearly 600 Laconia residents, both men and women, served the country in what would later become known as World War I. When the war ended, the city was moved by their service and in 1919 erected a monument with each of their names on one of three large bronze plaques, mounted on a wooden frame on the lawn in front of the recently constructed Public Library.

After nearly a century had passed, though, the monument was beginning to look its age. Also, in the years since 1919, several other veterans  monuments had been erected across North Main Street, in a small park known as Veterans Square. The World War I monument was looking out of place on the library lawn.

“It just didn’t look good,” said Ray Peavey Jr., commander of American Legion Post 1, in Laconia. The wooden frame was beginning to look like it might soon be unable to hold the weight of the plaques, and the bronze plaques were bowed. That didn’t sit well with Peavey, a veteran of the Marine Corps and the Navy Seabees, and whose grandfather had served in the Navy during World War I. So, he contacted Kevin Dunleavey at the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, and they agreed that if Peavey could raise $5,000, the city would help with installation.

It took Peavey two years to collect the funds. A few large gifts helped get much of the way there, including a significant contribution from the Laconia Public Library Board of Trustees. The Legion Post contributed, as did the VFW Auxiliary. Peavey augmented those with many smaller efforts, such as T-shirt sales and meat raffles. With enough money finally in hand, the plaques were removed last winter and spent a few months being reconditioned by Charlie Beede, of Beede Monument Services on Meredith Center Road. And, this week, the plaques were mounted on three vertical granite slabs, which the Department of Public Works anchored into the ground with several yards of concrete – good for another century at the least.

“It makes sense to get it done,” said Peavey, noting that 2017 is the 100-year anniversary of the U.S. involvement in World War I. “And it came out nice. It looks wonderful,” he added.

The reconditioned monument, as well as the others at Veterans Square, will serve as the backdrop to remarks on Monday morning following Laconia’s Memorial Day parade. When the ceremonies are over, though, Peavey and the Legion will have more work to do. He wants to ensure that there is enough in their account to maintain the monuments as needed as the years go by, and to further develop Veterans Square. The names of local veterans have never been engraved onto the Civil War monument, and the Legion would like to add a monument for veterans of conflicts since the Vietnam War.

“We’ve got a lot going on,” Peavey said.

Contributions toward those efforts can be deposited into the Veterans Memorial Restore Fund at Bank of New Hampshire, or contact Peavey at the Legion Post at 603-524-9728.

Laconia’s World War I monument has been restored and moved to Veterans Square. Shown here, from left, are Charlie Beede of Beede Monument Services, Kevin Dunleavey of Laconia Parks and Recreation, Brenda Chamberlain of the American Legion Auxiliary, Herman Chamberlain of the American Legion, Argee Whittier of Laconia Parks and Recreation, and Earl Beale of the American Legion. (Adam Drapcho/Laconia Daily Sun)