RANDOLPH COUNTY WAR MEMORIAL, WEDOWEE, ALABAMA
The headline of The Roanoke Leader heralded May 1, 1926, as “A Great Day in the History of Randolph County” as the statue honoring the World War of 1917-1918 was unveiled in Wedowee, Alabama. Two young girls dressed as Red Cross nurses removed the white covering to reveal the patriotic figure of a doughboy standing above an obelisk inscribed with the names of Randolph County’s war dead.
Thousands of visitors, including veterans of the War Between the States, crowded the square in front of the Randolph County Courthouse in Wedowee for the momentous event. Mr. I.G. Hendon, county schools superintendent, moderated the program. Edward B. Parker, county native and sergeant in the war, was a memorable speaker. His address was deemed a “gem” by The Leader. The article also mentioned that the “colored population” was well-represented as it should have been because of the same service and sacrifice of African-Americans in the war. As a reminder of the segregation that pervaded this South during this time, the names of the white war dead were placed on separate sides of the obelisk from the black soldiers who were lost as a result of the war. In 1919, the idea for the monument to honor the valor of World War I soldiers was born and a committee was formed to make the memorial a reality. According to The Leader, this group consisted of J.M. Traylor, J.W. Carlisle, and W.T. Weathers. These men were assisted by many others, including the school districts. After the project’s inception, hard times hit the country, and the monument’s construction was postponed due to lack of money. Though delayed, the committee refused to drop the project and diligently continued to secure funds for the structure. |
A Handley High school student reads the names of the "colored" soldiers who paid the ultimate price
in the Great War. |
When the necessary funds were within reach, plans to begin construction were readied. Warlick Marble and Granite Works of Roanoke, Alabama was commissioned to build the memorial. When assembled, the monument stood 18 feet high (the six-foot doughboy at the top). The names of 25 white and five African-Americans who gave their lives for the cause of freedom were displayed on the sides. The total cost of the monument was $2,300, and only $500 remained when the statue was uncovered in 1926. Fundraising efforts continued until the bill was paid in full. Today, additions have been added on the memorial’s north side to honor the fallen in subsequent wars.
The Wedowee Garden Club proudly maintains the grounds of the statue that still stands as a noble beacon for the American ideals of service and sacrifice.
The Wedowee Garden Club proudly maintains the grounds of the statue that still stands as a noble beacon for the American ideals of service and sacrifice.