With a goal to create an active structure that unites the center of Wentworth, New Hampshire, the Wentworth Veterans Memorial has been able to celebrate veterans from the area while also transforming a empty stretch of highway. What would otherwise be an anonymous be an empty space on the side of along Rt. 25 and East Side Road has instead been transformed into a monument that is equal parts tribute and connection.
Honoring Wentworth Veterans Who Have Served in the Armed Forces
Envisioned as a monument that would commemorate all those with ties to Wentworth who have served in the Armed Forces, the Wentworth Veterans Memorial consists of 11 local granite boulders with a brass plaque mounted on the stones to commemorate each armed conflict that involved the United States of America. The wars mentioned begin with the French and Indian War and include the Revolution War, the Civil War, World War II, and the Vietnam War, running all the way up to the Global War on Terror, which it lists as beginning in 2001.
The center stone lists all of the branches of the Armed Forces. The remaining 10 stones are arranged in a V shape to parallel the two adjacent roads. The point of the V has an enormous rectangular rock that brings the eye of the northbound travelers on Rt. 25 up to the flagpole.
Envisioned by Wentworth Veterans Memorial Inc., the first fundraising event for the memorial was the “Dinner on the Bridge” event. To further fund the memorial, custom granite benches will also be available for sale. These benches will allow audiences to relax and reflect while visiting the monument.
Located within a few hundred feet of covered bridge #71 and the Wentworth Historical Museum, a stone walkway made of engraved pavers will eventually lead up to the flagpole, past the Historical Society building and up to the covered bridge. This further transformation of the space will create a park in the historical district of town in a way that will attract audiences from across the region.
All of these developments highlight the power of monuments and memorials to enable transformative changes in a space that are connected to history and a community in a way that reverberates across multiple eras.
Modesty and Connection
There are plenty of memorials that honor veterans from a given city or region in a much larger or grandiose manner, but the modesty of the Wentworth Veterans Memorial further connects it to the space and community. A memorial of much great proportions wouldn’t have fit as easily into the space alongside Rt. 25 and East Side Road, highlighting the transformative power of monuments no matter their size or scope.
