The E. M. Viquesney "Spirit of the American Doughboy" Database
 Photo provided by Rupert Renz of Richland American Legion Post No 5. |
 The Doughboy after its 2002 refurbishment and landscaping. |
OLYMPIA (COLUMBIA), SOUTH CAROLINA
N 33° 59.101 / W 081° 02.135
Copyright version 1920, pressed copper.
Smithsonian Art Inventory Control Number: SC000047.
Copyright version 1920, pressed copper.
Smithsonian Art Inventory Control Number: SC000047.
In median at intersection of Whaley Street and Wayne Street (where it changes to Olympia Avenue) in the Olympia section of Columbia, South Carolina.
The left photo above shows the Doughboy with part of its rifle missing and before new landscaping. The right photo shows the Doughboy after it was refurbished and new landscaping was performed in 2002.
The left photo above shows the Doughboy with part of its rifle missing and before new landscaping. The right photo shows the Doughboy after it was refurbished and new landscaping was performed in 2002.
The inscription on the plaque reads:
DEDICATED TO
THE MEMORY OF OUR COMRADES
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN
THE WORLD WAR
-----------------
PRESENTED BY
THE PEOPLE OF THE PACIFIC COMMUNITY
NOVEMBER 11, 1930
(followed by list of 11 names)
An inscription on a plaque on the rear side reads:
PACIFIC COMMUNITY
HONOR ROLL
1917-1918
(followed by list of 224 names in four columns)
DEDICATED TO
THE MEMORY OF OUR COMRADES
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN
THE WORLD WAR
-----------------
PRESENTED BY
THE PEOPLE OF THE PACIFIC COMMUNITY
NOVEMBER 11, 1930
(followed by list of 11 names)
An inscription on a plaque on the rear side reads:
PACIFIC COMMUNITY
HONOR ROLL
1917-1918
(followed by list of 224 names in four columns)
The “Pacific Community” was a Columbia area near Pacific Mills, a textile mill. The cost of the Doughboy and the base was raised in a campaign with committee members in each mill department. All committee members were listed in the May-June 1930 edition of “The Spinner” a Pacific Mills house organ. The acquisition was a joint idea of four men, shown below. From the left, they are Fred B. Spigner and son Jack, W. R. (Bill) Connelly and daughter Julia Ann, John H. Nickhols and Nancy Hammond, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. R. R. Hammond and grandaughter of W. P. Hamrick, and John J. Lever and daughter, Nell. The dedication ceremony was attended by the governor of South Carolina, mayor of Columbia, and state American Legion commander.
Photo from an old local tour guide provided by Rupert Renz of Richland American Legion Post No. 5.
A Doughboy copy-after, cast in bronze from molds made from Clearwater, Florida’s Doughboy, was dedicated in Columbia’s Memorial Park, November 11, 2002, so the Columbia area now has two Viquesney Doughboys, an original and a copy.
Links:
geocaching.com
hmdb.org
geocaching.com
hmdb.org
