By Jane Kessler
Sixty-five years after a group formed to repair a deteriorating military memorial in Middleburg, the call is once again being sounded to keep the monument strong.
The Snyder County Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Memorial was built of rock granite and granite brick in 1905 on what was called the French Flats, near Emmanuel Lutheran Church.
Walls inside the 22-foot by 30-foot building — built on land donated by designing architect John F. Stetler — are lined with marble.
Over time, the memorial deteriorated, flags and war relics disappeared and general neglect of the building became evident. The Grand Army of the Republic posts were the primary caretakers of the memorial, but the posts eventually dissolved and no substitute assumed the responsibility.
On Sept. 23, 1946, the Snyder County Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Memorial Association reorganized with its primary function to preserve, care for and maintain the memorial. Fifteen people were received into membership.
One committee was immediately appointed to make the necessary repairs and another to compile a complete list of veterans from Snyder County in the nation’s wars.
Local contractor Raymond Tharp made repairs and improvements to the building and placed new panels containing the names of all the county’s veterans.
The newly formed association was founded to assure that the brave soldiers who lost their lives fighting for their country would never be forgotten. These heroes joined the military, trained and took an oath to protect and serve, knowing that at any time they could be called to duty.
And now it is again time for others to join a call to duty.
The memorial once again faces the blight of deterioration.
Acid rain has caused the concrete to weaken, creating scars in dire need of repair. To safeguard this piece of heritage, plans include seeking grants, holding fundraisers and soliciting public support.
The memorial is open to the public on patriotic days, such as Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day.
American soldiers serve and have served our country proudly and without question, and their fellow Americans must support them and never let them be forgotten.
