163 Hidden memorial

A hidden memorial

We have lived in Winchester for 50 years and forty-some of those years have been around the Handley High School campus. We have worked there, jogged around there, attended countless events there, and explored the entire campus.

We have admired the trees and plants, savored the view from our front porch, and appreciated the green space. We have even come to the realization that schools are good neighbors especially when 

the campus covers about 40 acres.

We even protested when some of our beloved trees were destined to be chopped down--the powers that be ruled that they were dead. This was not true, but we did manage to track down some of the wood and a kitchen table was created. We can enjoy it every day but we do miss those trees!

Thus, what a shock and surprise it was to read that a WWI memorial had been part of the campus since the 1920s. A neighbor found evidence of the memorial--a plaque dedicated to a Winchester soldier was found along the sidewalk in 2015. Evidently, that part of Handley Boulevard had been designated Memorial Avenue in honor of the soldiers.

That started a quest by history buff and local resident Gene Schultz to delve and dig into the details of this memorial. Not only were bronze plaques placed to honor 49 local veterans, but also trees were planted to remember these heroes.

It has taken several years and a great deal of research to figure out the puzzle surrounding these plaques. As publicity spread in the local newspaper and by word of mouth, more neighbors came forth with other plaques they had found; more stories were uncovered through reference works and newspaper accounts, as well as family records.

For the rest of the story, there is a detailed account in the latest journal of the Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society plus an exhibit in the society’s office building where some of the plaques are on display.

Both sources give compelling and visual evidence of these amazing stories of local men. Some died in the war, some died from disease, some died from injuries and disease suffered in war, and others died from natural causes.

The project to find out more is ongoing with any leads and new information pursued thoroughly. My point as I read the journal, viewed the exhibit, and attended two lectures Gene presented on the memorial is how did those of us who have lived here all these years not know about it or find remnants of it.

I suppose wear and tear and time kept the memorial hidden in the crevices of the campus and the surrounding streets. The names of the soldiers were engraved on the plaques so I am sure many residents knew them.

Some of the trees remain but one of them was chopped down recently on the corner of Washington Street and Handley Boulevard (Memorial Avenue). We had no idea what it stood for all those years. A countless number of cars and pedestrians passed it each day on the way to everyday tasks with no idea of what it once meant. Many events such as the Great Depression and the onslaught of WWII probably contributed to the neglect of this monument, but what a shame.

A special thanks to Gene and the historical society for pursuing information about this avenue so important in Winchester history. And an apology to those men and their families that we did not keep the memorial intact and ongoing.

Maybe the plaques that have been retrieved and are presently on display could find a permanent home where the community could honor them once again. I wish we had known so we could have visited these memorials all the years we explored and walked the campus land. 

Sad savvy Frances