Neither the Pandemic, supply chain issues, nor inflation can stop group from honoring local veterans

Despite several delays and setbacks in the early stages of construction, the Hartington Veterans Memorial is now complete.

A grand opening ceremony will take place Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Broadway Avenue memorial in downtown Hartington.

Streets around the memorial will be blocked off to accomodate the crowds for the dedication event.

Planning and construction of the monument has not always been smooth, but organizers never backed away from their mission during the  three-and-a-half year process.

The first challenge was the lot itself, a lot that sloped down 11 feet from west to east.

Improving the lot to make it a buildable piece of property that could withstand the weight of all the granite monuments and the concrete floor was quite a process, Kathol said. But, it was well worth it, he said.

“We could not shun our veterans by passing up this opportunity,” Kathol said. “Having a memorial built was without question a must, and we absolutely had to move it forward to completion for our veterans who so deserved a place to call home that a memorial may provide.”

The group was then challenged by the pandemic and the supply chain issues that resulted from the pandemic. As the pandemic began to recede, inflation took over, adding a tremendous cost to the project.

The idea for a monument at 111 N. Broadway Avenue, right in the heart of downtown Hartington, was conceived by Drs. Ben and Erin Schroeder, who wanted to find a use for the lot they purchased when they bought the Historic Hartington Hotel.

The couple decided to donate the land to the community's three veterans groups, VFW, American Legion and AMVETS, with the idea that a memorial be built on the site. Ironically, Hartington's American Legion Hall occuppied space in the three story building that once stood on that corner.

For more on the memorial, check out the special 12-page section inside this week's Cedar County News.

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