The Eagle

Councilor Joff Smith spoke at the City Council meeting Tuesday about his two orders (#11-a and #11-b) concerning this war memorial on West Boylston Street.

The memorial was established by a veteran's group in 1945 to honor Americans who had given their lives in all wars. This was something that I did not know, and I've lived in this city most of my life.

To be honest, I always thought the Eagle monument was some sort of Norton Company thing... a logo or something...

Really.

But now that I know what this is, and now that I've been over there to see what Joff Smith was talking about at the Council meeting Tuesday, I feel that I have to add my voice to the call for rescuing this monument from what is clearly a dire need of attention.

The wedge of land this monument stands on is much larger than I thought, and there is a semi-circular walkway that goes around in back of the monument. Directly behind the monument, mid-point on the walkway, there's a brick structure which is also in need of attention. I have no idea if it's part of the monument parcel or not, but it does appear to be.

This monument is truly a magnificent piece of statuary, in and of itself, and should be preserved and cared for.

Detail may be lacking in this picture, but both the right and left top front corners of the stone pedestal are in need of immediate repair this season, before next winter's ice pushes the top corners off completely.

Perhaps the Worcester Historical Commission could lend a hand in the rescue of this monument?

I don't believe that there are any homes in the Montvale Historic district that are, in fact, of more historic significance than this monument. For future generations, and the purpose of preserving our history, how can somebody's NIMBY baloney and their homeowner equity be of more historical significance?

Perhaps the Worcester Historical Commission could focus on this monument instead of the precious tennis court at 1 Montvale Road...