Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, Wakefield, Mass.

Title

Hiker Monument dedication, October 12, 1926

Description

"The Spanish War Veterans' Hiker Monument was dedicated on Columbus Day, Tuesday, October 12, 1926 as part of the 75th anniversary celebration of the Richardson Light Guard. The day consisted of a morning target shoot at Camp Curtis Guild, a military parade said to be "one of the finest military parades ever held in Greater Boston," the dedication of the monument, an evening parade on the park by a battalion of the 182nd Regt with companies of infantry from Wakefield and other communities, luncheons in halls and church vestries for visiting organizations, a reunion of the 6th Mass. Regt Spanish War veterans, and a banquet at the state armory attended by 400 people. The dedication took place after the parade with the marching organizations on three sides of the Rockery, the Spanish War veterans having the "post of honor at the front and at least 2,000 persons within sight and hearing of the exercises." Col. Edward J. Gihon, former commander of the Richardson Light Guard during the Spanish War, presided over the "impressive exercises." The unveiling of the statue was performed by two Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, Joseph Scott of Cambridge and Anthony Carson of Boston. The Hiker stands on a rock that bears a plaque with the names of the 29 citizens who risked their lives during the war, with the inscription: "This monument erected by the town of Wakefield to commemorate the valor and patriotism of the men of this town who served in the war with Spain, Philippine insurrection, and China relief expedition 1898-1902; dedicated October 12, 1926 under the auspices of Corporal Charles F. Parker, Camp No. 39, United Spanish War Veterans Department of Massachusetts." The foot soldiers of the Spanish American War trekked over rough terrain, earning them the name "hikers." The Hiker monument was created by Boston sculptor Theodora Alice Ruggles Kitson, a well-known sculptor of war memorial statues, whose original statue was unveiled in Minnesota in 1906. There are approximately 50 replicas of the statue at war memorials throughout the country, including Arlington National Cemetery." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.

Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 2020

Photo courtesy of JC Marketing Associates

Contributor

Institution: Lucius Beebe Memorial Library

Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department (Wakefield, Mass.)

D'Onofrio, Jayne M.

Coverage

Massachusetts -- Middlesex (county) -- Wakefield

Date

10-12-1926

Format

image/jpeg

Publisher

Wakefield, Mass. : Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department

Subject

Spanish-American War, 1898

Rockery (Wakefield, Mass.)

Type

still image

Photographs

Original Format

1 picture: b & w

Extent

25 x 20 cm.