COLUMBIA, ILLINOIS

N 38° 26.814 / W 090° 11.825

Copyright version 1920, sheet bronze.

Smithsonian Art Inventory Control Number: 47260022.

Near American Legion Post 581 (375 E. Locust St.) in Legion Memorial Park on Memorial Drive, a few blocks north and east of downtown.

The inscription on the front plaque reads:

MEMORIAL
IN HONOR OF
OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS
WHO SERVED THEIR NATION
IN FREEDOM’S CAUSE, AND IN
MEMORY OF THOSE OF OUR NUMBER
WHO GAVE THEIR LAST FULL MEASURE OF
DEVOTION IN
THE SIX GREAT WARS
REVOLUTIONARY WAR
1775 - 1781
WAR OF 1812 - 1814
MEXICAN WAR
1846 - 1847
THE CIVIL WAR
1861 - 1865
SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR
1898
THE GREAT WORLD WAR
1917 - 1918
COLUMBIA                       POST 581
GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS
DEDICATED BY THE COMMUNITY OF COLUMBIA, ILL.

A flat ground plaque in front of the pedestal is in memory of 90 named persons. A plaque on the left side of the pedestal is in memory of those who died in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.  A rededication plaque was placed on the right side of the pedestal May 31, 1991.

The Doughboy was originally dedicated May 30, 1924 in a small plaza on Legion Avenue, just east of Main Street. It was later substantially refurbished. The sculpture appears to be in good condition in comparison to others.

Since the monument was first placed it has been moved twice.  The first relocation resulted in the statue facing the old Legion building at the intersection of Legion and Metter Avenues in Columbia.  On January 1, 1976 it was once again moved because that site was needed for the construction of the new Public Library in Columbia.  Since that last move, the Doughboy has stood at its current location on the grounds of Post 581's Legion Park.

Links:
www.columbia-legion.org