Peasley: Efforts being made to restore Civil War monument
When I returned to the Woodstock Square on Wednesday, I entered on East Jackson, driving west. Staring at me was the stern soldier atop the Civil War statue. That statue honors the thousands who died in that long, bitter war.
Today’s military activities also are bitter and equally frustrating. I fear there’s no clear way to solve fighting in Afghanistan except to keep struggling unsuccessfully while American men and women die in an area almost none of us knows anything about. Many don’t understand the nature of that war, while President Obama desperately tries to determine the best way to assure our military personnel a safe haven.
An important effort is under way to restore the Civil War statue to its original grandeur. A group led by Chad Miller, commander of Woodstock Infantry Association, is seeking funds to repair the ornamental fencing and broken anchor and to clean the monument.
That lone soldier atop that statue has been calling for peace for 100 years. At 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Miller will lead a community rededication of that statue in Woodstock’s picturesque city square. The statue was erected 100 years ago, Nov. 3, 1909.
The public is invited to join in this rededication and to help with fundraising to make restoration possible.
The monument was built by Antonio Zoia, grandfather of Jim Zoia, who, with his son Tony, will be in charge of the restoration of the historic monument. The monument has the names of 330 men from McHenry County who died during the Civil War. The placement of the names occurred in 2000 under the leadership of Jim Clegg, who researched to learn the names of the Civil War dead from McHenry County.
The four marble slabs included names from 16 McHenry County communities. Research revealed that more than 100 died from disease.
It’s timely since Woodstock will observe Veterans Day at the VFW in our community Nov. 11. Ceremonies will be conducted at the traditional hour of 11 a.m., the same time on the clock World War I ended.
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Woodstock Moose Lodge recognized outstanding leadership with its Community Hero Awards program Oct. 24. Moose Lodge Governor Randy Tipps conducted the awards presentation.
Congratulations to Quinn Keefe, Citizen of the Year; Pat Burke, Firefighter of the Year; David P. Dempsey, Policeman of the Year; Kim Beystehner, Teacher of the Year; and Ken West, Adult Youth Leadership Person of the Year.
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Dallas and Ellen Larson of Woodstock won four ribbons at the Dekalb County Fair in Sandwich in September. Their two first places, a second and a third were for displays of antique kitchen wares and other collectibles.
• Don Peasley has been editor, columnist and historian in McHenry County since October 1947. He began his association with Shaw Publications in 1950. He is a frequent contributor of articles and photographs. He can be reached at 815-338-1533.
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