MANCHESTER, NH – The above video provides a backdrop for the recent re-dedication of the city’s Civil War monument, which is also a fountain at Veterans Park.
In the video City Parks, Rec and Cemeteries Chief Mark Gomez describes the many monuments within the park honoring those who served, and how the restoration of this particular monument, originally dedicated 1879, was made possible.
The $250,000 project included extensive restoration of not only the iconic bronze and cement fixtures but also electrical work – including replacement glass globes – and the fountain itself which has not operated for many years.
A plaque on the monument reads: “In honor of the men of Manchester who gave their services in the war which preserved the Union of the States and secured equal rights to all under the Constitution this monument is built by a grateful city.”
A Latin inscription on the 50-foot monument, translated for those present by Gomez, reads: “Sweet and proper it is to die for your country.”
City leaders then gathered for a “ribbon cutting” to acknowledge the completion of the project.
Because of this project, the city will be recognized by the Manchester Historic Association on May 23 at Saint Anselm College during its 31st Annual Historic Preservation Awards ceremony, with the Restoration of a City Landmark Award.
