Description The Town of Hartford once had both a World War I monument and a World War II monument which stood on the lawn of our municipal building. A group of citizens formed a committee to explore the creation of a new monument to honor the veterans who fought in both of those world wars. It was decided there was no better place to honor veterans' sacrifices than in Veterans Park. The cast iron World War I monument, built by the Lebanon Machine Company, was a grand memorial. The World War II monument was made of wood and didn’t last long. Both had been dismantled by the 1970’s, and the pieces of the World War I monument were stored in the basement of the town hall, then the Historical Society for decades. Fortunately, two of the pieces were still in good enough shape to refurbish and add to the new monument - a half moon cast iron piece with the words "1914 Honor Roll 1918, World War, Hartford VT" and a round piece with the image from the VT state flag on it. Each of these are mounted on the top of the monument, one on each side. There are 291 names of those residents who served during World War 1, and 729 names of Hartford residents who served in World War II from December 7, 1941 to September 2, 1945. We were thrilled to have in attendance a surviving WWII veteran who was and still is a resident of Hartford. Alvin Ricker, age 97, was accompanied by his family and he helped to unveil the monument. Like many of his generation, Alvin didn't talk about his service in World War II. His family has the letters he wrote home to his parents, but they don't give any detail about where he served. They do know that when he left high school in October of 1944 at the age of 18, he served in the infantry in Germany, Austria, and France. He earned a Purple Heart for an injury during the war and returned home to Wilder in the fall of 1945. Beyond its physical presence, this monument is a testament to the sacrifices and bravery of the men and women from Hartford who answered the call of duty and fought for the freedoms we enjoy today. Their names are once again proudly displayed, a long-overdue honor that symbolizes the community's enduring gratitude for their service. This monument holds deep significance for the community and is a tangible representation of Hartford's commitment to preserving the memory of those who bravely served in World War I and World War II. It not only preserves their legacy, but also serves as a reminder to future generations of the profound impact of their sacrifice on Hartford's history and heritage.