APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Two Appleton organizations are joining forces to honor veterans and restore part of the city’s history, through the “Every Soldier’s Square” project.
A 15-foot Civil War monument stands in the middle of Soldier’s Square, in the heart of downtown Appleton – an area some say has been overlooked or forgotten, altogether.
“Ask any resident where soldier square is and some of them are challenged to even identify where that is,” said Sculpture Valley executive director Alex Schultz.
Schultz tells FOX 11 Soldier’s Square used to be a community gathering place.
“It was a very contemplative, quiet greenspace, which sort of invited the community to reflect on the people that have given the ultimate sacrifice, with those memorials taking center stage. It’s lost that entire sense of purpose.”
Sculpture Valley and Hearthstone Historic House Museum hope to change that, one brick at a time.
“The monument now, or the area, is called Soldier’s Square, so what we’re allowing is people to buy a brick, have it engraved with the name of a veteran, their branch of service and their conflict, if applicable,” Hearthstone’s executive director George Schroeder said.
Those engraved bricks will then be incorporated into the hardscape at Soldier’s Square.
But not just any ordinary bricks
The 2,500 bricks for Soldier’s Square once lined downtown Appleton’s electric trolley system until 1930.
They were paved over and rediscovered in the 1960s. That’s when they made their way to the Hearthstone Historic House Museum.
“We preserve what we respect,” Schroeder said. “When we come to something like this – when we see its intrinsic value and we respect that, and we preserve it, and reuse it, and give it new life, there’s nothing better.”
Schroeder tells FOX 11 they hope to give Soldier’s Square new life, brick by brick.
“We want it to be a memorial or a celebration of the sacrifices that every soldier, sailor, marine, airman, coastguard personnel have made in the service of their country.”
Schultz says a disservice has been done to the Civil War monument and monuments that have been there in the past.
“Bringing them back, I think, gives us a new sense; a revitalized sense of honor and respect for our service members.”
For $40, you can have one engraved to honor any U.S. veteran.
All money raised will benefit the John H. Bradley VA Clinic in Appleton.
Contact Hearthstone Historic House Museum or Sculpture Valley Inc. for more information.
