Photo by Chris Naffziger
Larry Kritis, Al Katzenberger, Felicia Peters, Donnie Hines, Claude Bush, Mayor Emeritus Gordon Bush, John Holman, Jimmy Rice, Bill Mixon.
Over the years here at St. Louis Magazine, I have written several times of the rich cultural and architectural history of East St. Louis. On numerous occasions, whether talking about the old Majestic Theater with passersby on Collinsville Avenue or discussing the legacy of Katherine Dunham in the backyard of her house while eating a hot dog, I have always been impressed with the warmth and positive attitude of its residents. There is so much potential over on the east side of the river. Consequently, I was not surprised when I heard of some exciting news coming out of East St. Louis earlier this year.
After years of being hit by cars, languishing in windswept triangle of land, the city’s War Memorial, formerly at the corner of 25th and Lynch Streets, is being replaced. It will be installed in a new location through the efforts of a dedicated group of East St. Louis and St. Clair County residents.
Photo by Chris Naffziger
The current, damaged memorial.
I first saw the monument, dedicated on November 11, 1924, after it had just been hit yet another time in the fall of 2017. Its once lustrous gray Barre granite sheen had long since faded, and many of the names of the fallen carved into the obelisk’s surface had been worn or chipped off. The granite eagle, which once graced the top, had long since vanished without a trace. The location, a small, grassy triangle of land, is surrounded by high-speed traffic, and it is no wonder that the monument had been hit by automobiles at least two or three times in the past (St. Clair County Chairman Mark Kern had facilitated its repeated repair).
Al Katzenberger (whose work at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery I’ve written about in the past), contacted me recently about the news mentioned above. A committee centered around American Legion Post 2505 is now raising funds to replace the monument, which at this point too heavily damaged and illegible to honor the men it memorialized. They will then relocate it to a safer spot: nearby Jones Park, a gem of East St. Louis, whose entrance is near the original location. While my readers know me as a preservationist, I completely understand the decision to replace the monument with new material; I have examined the original stone from 1924, and it is just too damaged to continue as a decorous monument to those who died during World War I. Likewise, the new location, sitting at the front entrance to Jones Park, is the perfect location, as it forms a ceremonial axis along Argonne Drive (many East St. Louis soldiers fought and died in the eponymous forest during the war) with an earlier Civil War memorial at the other end of the boulevard.
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Renderings for the future monument.
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The committee enlisted the help of experienced architect Bob Winters to produce renderings to give the public an idea of what will be installed on Argonne Drive in Jones Park. The design retains the original design and spirit of the obelisk, utilizing the same granite in the same color used for the 1924 memorial. I also like the decision not to replace the granite eagle, which once sat on top of the original monument. It would add more cost to the project, requiring expensive sculpting expertise to honor the original craftsmanship, necessitate maintenance expenditures in the future, and wouldn't fit contemporary aesthetics.
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Photo by Chris Naffziger
Argonne Drive Boulevard.
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Photo by Chris Naffziger
East St. Louis' Civil War Memorial.
The committee is looking to raise the modest sum of $35,000 for Phase I, which is the sculpting and installation of the new monument, the creation of new ADA compliant sidewalks to the obelisk, plus installation of lighting and a flagpole. They have already been moving steadily towards their goal. The original monument has been removed and placed in storage; the foundations have been excavated, and site grading will return the triangle to grass. The committee showed me letters of understanding from both the East St. Louis Park District and St. Clair County Chairman Mark Kern supporting their efforts in principle. Over the course of the several meetings when I have met with the committee, I have been struck with the passion its members have shown towards this project, and with the revitalization of their city. Members of the committee gave their personal stories of how they came to work on the project:
Al Katzenberger has a fascinating memory related to the War Memorial. “We would walk all the way from St. Louis to look at the monument,” he told me. “When I heard it was damaged, it was a like a part of my childhood had been lost. My family originally moved to East St. Louis when we came to America. That’s one of the reasons we would walk all the way from our home across the river. It’s why this project is so important to me.”
Larry Kritis, who was born in East St. Louis and spent much of his childhood there even after moving to Washington Park, says he still feels like the city is his home, and that the citizens of East St. Louis deserve better. “With this effort, we are doing the best to give them that,” he says. “I am proud of this city. I want to contribute what I can to make it better.”
Claude Bush also has a childhood link to the War Memorial. “When I was in junior high school, we were bussed by that monument every day, so I just remember it in its glory 1966 and remember how beautiful it used to be,” he says. “Each person has brought something to the committee. We want this to be for the community. We are for veterans, but we’re for the community because veterans live in the community. East St. Louis gets so much bad press, and we want to change that. We want people to get off the interstate exit at 25th Street and feel safe to come visit the monument. So much has been destroyed and this is something that rebuilds East St. Louis.”
“I’m a veteran of the US Army, and this means a great deal to me because it’s history, and I’m so proud to be a part of it, and hopefully more veterans get involved with us,” says Donnie Hines. Felicia Peters adds: “I’m proud to be a part of keeping these veterans’ memory alive.” John Holman continues, “Part of our mission is to keep the memories of the great wars alive, maintaining war memorials and cemeteries well maintained.” Jimmy Rice spoke about his connection to his fellow service members. “When Al came in and presented, and when I saw it damaged, it really bothered me when I saw its current state," he says. "We have a kinship and a brotherhood. It is very deep…. I wanted to bring it back to glory, and make it a focal point for visitors to the city.”
Mayor Emeritus of East St. Louis Gordon Bush says this effort is about keeping a commitment to those who have served in uniform. “We’re taking a monument that has been disregarded and ignored and we’re going to replace it in a manner we can all be proud of,” he says. “This new monument can not only be something that East St. Louis can be proud of, but also the state of Illinois, and even the nation.”
Chris Naffziger writes about architecture at St. Louis Patina. Contact him via email at naffziger@gmail.com.
