Old Hickory Highway, WWI, Raleigh
The monument is composed of a short, rough cut block of granite approximately four feet wide by two feet tall, with an inscription carved into a smooth rectangular area.
OLD HICKORY / HIGHWAY ERECTED IN LOVING / MEMORY OF THOSE / WHO SERVED IN / THE WORLD WAR / WAR MOTHERS OF NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina State Capitol
September 29, 1930
35.781000 , -78.638340
View in Geobrowse
"Old Hickory Highway Marker - Raleigh, NC," Waymarking.com, (accessed April 5, 2021) Link
"Old Hickory Highway Marker, (sculpture)," Art Inventories Catalog, Smithsonian American Art Museum, SIRIS, sirismm.si.edu, #IAS 75006506, (accessed March 20, 2013) Link
"Old Hickory Highway," The Historical Marker Database, HMdb.org, (accessed April 5, 2021) Link
"Visit the North Carolina State Capitol," North Carolina Historic Sites, historicsites.nc.gov, (accessed March 20, 2019) Link
“American War Mothers,” SNAC (Social Networks and Archival Context), snaccooperative.org, (accessed November 3, 2021) Link
“Call Quest,” The Charlotte News (Charlotte, NC), August 4, 1972
“Will Erect Individual Memorials Along “Old Hickory” and “Wildcat” Highways in Memory of Fallen Heroes,” Asheville Citizen-Times (Charlotte, NC), May 17, 1922
“World War Mothers to Honor Memory of War by Appropriate Markers,” The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, NC), February 16, 1930
Yes
Granite
War Mothers of North Carolina (Chapter 10 of the American War Mothers)
Mrs. Newcombe, president of the North Carolina War Mothers, introduced the monument, and an address was given by Colonel William T. Joyner. A prayer was offered by Dr. James B. Turner who served as chaplain for the the 120th Infantry of the 30th Division and officiated at the burial of 349 soldiers who lost their lives in the Battle of Bullecourt.
Records of the American War Mothers state that the organization “was founded in response to federal officials impressed with and grateful for the Food Conservation and War Relief Work carried on by mothers of servicemen and women during World War I.” with membership “limited to U.S. women whose children served in the Armed Forces. On September 29, 1917, these officials requested that a permanent War Mothers organization be established.” By Armistice Day, November 11, 1918, two-thirds of the states were organized into chapters. On February 24, 1925, Congress granted the American War Mothers a National Charter. Their purpose was to engage in patriotic works and assist men and women who served and were wounded in American conflicts.
Miss May F. Jones of Asheville is credited with the idea of commemorating the two major routes stretching across North Carolina from the mountains to the coast for those who served during World War One. With the backing of the Asheville Chamber of Commerce and the North Carolina Division of American War Mothers, the legislature designated them in 1921 as “memorials to the heroism and valor of all North Carolinians who answered the call...” to serve during World War One. The “Central” Highway (Hwy. 10) was designated as the “Old Hickory Highway” after the 30th Infantry Division. This division’s name honored Andrew Jackson who received the nickname as a reflection of his tenacious and unyielding nature. Men from this division came from North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. The “Wilmington-Charlotte-Asheville” Highway (Hwy. 20) was designated as the “Wildcat” Highway after the 81st Infantry Division. During World War One the 81st Infantry Division, nicknamed the “Wildcat” Division, was stationed at Ft. Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina. Most of the men in this division came from North Carolina and South Carolina.
The “Old Hickory” Highway began at Paint Rock on the North Carolina-Tennessee line and passed through Asheville, Statesville, Greensboro, Raleigh, Goldsboro and ending at Beaufort, very roughly the course of portions of I-40 and US Highway 70. The “Wildcat” Highway began at the North Carolina-Georgia line passing through Murphy and also on to Asheville, then Shelby, Lumberton and to Wilmington. The route closely follows the path of old US Highway 74. In 1922 much of the route was over unpaved roads and the North Carolina Highway Commission committed to marking these routes as the roads were improved. The efforts languished leaving the War Mothers markers as the only visible memory of the two highways.
Wildcat Division markers were placed in Lake Lure, Gastonia, Charlotte (two), Wadesboro and Wilmington. Old Hickory Division markers were placed in Statesville, Salisbury, Raleigh (two), and Craven County. A marker with a bronze tablet commemorating both divisions was placed at the intersection of the two highways near Asheville.
Identical marker Old Hickory Highway, WWI is located in Statesville, NC.
The monument is located off the sidewalk on the northeast corner of the Capitol grounds on Edenton Street, just past the intersection with Wilmington Street, Raleigh, NC.
The monument stands on the lawn near mature shade trees.
Know anything else about this monument that isn't mentioned here? If you have additional information on
this or any other monument in our collection fill out the form at the Contact Us link in the footer. Thank you.
