Documenting the American South

Monument Name

Graham County Veterans Memorial, Robbinsville

Type

War Memorial

Subjects

War of 1812

World War I

World War II

Veterans of Multiple Wars

Vietnam War, 1960-1975

Spanish-American War, 1898

Mexican War, 1846-1848

Revolutionary War, 1775-1783

Civil War, 1861-1865

City

Robbinsville

County

Graham

Description

The Graham County Veterans Memorial is comprised of three rectangular granite tablestones. The largest of the three stands in the courtyard directly in front of the entrance to the Graham County Government Building and lists all those killed in action beginning with World War One. The tablestone rests on a double base. On the upper base is a list of those who died of other causes while on active military duty and the lower base holds a prayer.

Two slightly smaller tablestones, each on a single base, stand to either side of the building entrance. The one to the left commemorates all who have served in the military. Forming an arch along its top are incised coats of arms for the five branches of the military. From left to right are Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard. Under the arch is an unfurled American flag. The stone to the right is dedicated to the ancestors of any Graham County resident who served in Revolution, War of 1812, Mexican War, Civil War and Spanish American War. It is unadorned aside from the inscription.

Images: Tablestone to the left of the main entrance | Tablestone to the right of the main entrance

Inscription

Center tablestone: DEDICATED TO THE VETERANS OF GRAHAM COUNTY / WHO WERE KILLED IN ACTION WHILE SERVING THEIR COUNTRY /
WORLD WAR I / ELLER, JAMES A. MYERS, COLUMBUS RANDOLPH, CARLTON RICH, CARMEL ROGERS, HARDIE / WYKE, CHARLIE / WORLD WAR II /
[Column, far left] ANDERSON, CRATE / COOK, SCONLEY / HOOPER, I.V. / PATTERSON, CYRUS / WARD, DAVID S. /
[Column, center left] BALES, BRUCE S. / CORNSILK, JACOB / HYDE, MARSHALL / PHILLIPS, DAVID B. / WEBSTER, HERBERT /
[Column, center] BATEMAN, HAROLD Z. / CRISP, LLOYD M. / LAMBERT, COLVIN / SCOTT, JOHN W., JR. / WIGGINS, EDWARD /
[Column, center right] BIRCHFIELD, THOMAS / GLADDEN, DAN / JONES, BART J. / SLAUGHTER, LACY / WILCOX, AUDIE /
[Column, far right] BOWMAN, THOMAS C. / HANEY, FREELIN / OWENBY, DEE / STILES, RAY / ORR, LLOYD R. / VIETNAM / HOOPER, TOM

Center tablestone upper base: MEN AND WOMEN OF GRAHAM COUNTY WHO DIED OF OTHER CAUSES WHILE ON ACTIVE DUTY / COLVARD, CLYDE COOPER, BEVERLY SUE CULP, VICKI DIANE DANIELS, JOHN F. ORR, DAVID M. / TEESATESKIE, WOODROW Center tablestone lower base: A MILITARY PRAYER / LORD, WE CANNOT SEE TOMORROW, BUT YOU HOLD ALL OUR TOMORROWS IN YOUR HAND. WE DARE NOT QUESTION / WHY YOU’VE LED US HERE, ONLY HELP US GIVE A GOOD ACCOUNT OF ALL WE’VE LEARNED OF YOU. AND IF… AND / IF YOU SHOULD ASK US TO PAY THE SUPREME SACRIFICE, AS YOU WERE ONCE CALLED UPON TO DO, LET IT BE WITH / CONFIDENCE THAT YOU WILL MEET US AT THE RIVER AND LEAD US ACROSS THE TROUBLED WATERS. / - CHAPLAIN MAJOR GENERAL ROBERT PRESTON TAYLOR -

Tablestone to left of entrance: DEDICATED TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF GRAHAM COUNTY / WHO HAVE SERVED THEIR COUNTRY IN TIMES OF WAR AND PEACE

Tablestone to right of entrance: DEDICATED TO THE ANCESTORS OF / GRAHAM COUNTY WHO SERVED IN THE / REVOLUTIONARY WAR / WAR OF 1812 / MEXICAN WAR / CIVIL WAR / SPANISH AMERICAN WAR

Custodian

Graham County

Dedication Date

November 11, 2002

Decade

2000s

Geographic Coordinates

35.323040 , -83.807050 View in Geobrowse

Supporting Sources

“Junaluska ca. 1779-1858,” The Historical Marker Database, HMdb.org, (accessed January 16, 2017) Link

“Saluting Veteran Valor,” Graham Star (Robbinsville, NC), November (14?), 2002

Public Site

Yes

Materials & Techniques

Granite

Sponsors

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3685

Subject Notes

In 2001 Graham County Commissioners approved plans to refurbish the courtyard in front of the courthouse as it was no longer serviceable due to wear and weather. That courtyard held an original veteran's memorial that contained 515 marble memorial pavers that covered the ground and stairs. Each paver contained the branch and unit information of the individual veterans and had been paid for by veterans or their family members. In late 2001 county veterans provided volunteer labor to remove these pavers and then return them to family members. In early 2002 the VFW initiated fundraising efforts to place the new memorial.

Location

The memorial complex is located in front of the Graham County Government building, at 12 N. Main Street, Robbinsville, NC.

Landscape

The central tablestone stands on the paved walkway in front of the building, with two flagpoles behind the marker. Two tablestones on each side of the main entrance stand on lawns.