In honor of Memorial Day 2020, we created a page to catalog the permanent memorials in Orleans County that honor our veterans. We invite you for a “Virtual Visit” by clicking on the link: Military Memorials page. There’s no better time than the present – especially as our annual celebrations have been cancelled and our personal freedoms disrupted by a global pandemic – to pay our respects and learn the names of our local heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice defending our freedoms.

Thank you to Orleans County Historian, Matt Ballard for his assistance in developing this page; to Eagle Scout John Rath and Katherine Spohr for allowing us to include a video they produced honoring Kendall’s veterans. And my gratitude goes out to all the local historians and residents that have contributed to taking stock of our memorials. Orleans County has deep respect and patriotism for their local heroes.

The page also features a Google map plotted with the locations of each memorial along with a description when you click on the icon. You can filter out layers to focus on the specific conflicts such as the Civil War, World War I & II, Korean War, Vietnam War, as well as all inclusive memorials that honor all Veterans and memorials for specific individuals. This page is expected to evolve to include 9/11 memorials and historic markers as we continue our research.

Whether it’s Memorial Day, Independence Day, Flag Day or Veterans Day, these memorials are permanent reminders of the sacrifices these local men and women made so we can enjoy our freedoms. They are places to honor those who defended our liberties and some who paid the ultimate sacrifice. They are icons to reflect on our history and a place for healing. We encourage you to visit a memorial today or salute as you pass one by.