Hickory Construction, Inc., a Blount County-based licensed general contractor offering services for residential, commercial and industrial projects for the past 35 years, announced that it has been selected as the general contractor to build the new Blount County War Dead Memorial Plaza dedicated to the fallen military heroes of Blount County.
The new memorial, to be located on the Blount County Courthouse lawn, will feature a plaza incorporating four monuments on the lawn, a Veterans Walk of Honor and a bench to sit and reflect. The bench will hold a time capsule with mementos of this build and the original 1965 build.
The original memorial was dedicated in 1965 and funded by the Disabled American Veterans, Chapter 76. The solider on top of the memorial is a bronze statue that was cast in Italy. Over the decades, the original monument began to deteriorate and presented safety concerns, necessitating the building of a new memorial.
Red Chair Architects’ Erik Hall, of Knoxville, Tennessee, was chosen as the architect for the project, with Hickory Construction as the contractor.
“We are fortunate to have Hickory Construction as our contractor for this project,” said Marion Westerling, a U.S. Army veteran and fundraising chair of the memorial committee, which also includes Nathan Weinbaum, Jim Warner and Peggy Jackson. “We feel sure that Hickory will successfully honor the vision that architect Erik Hall developed to build a long-lasting tribute to Blount County’s fallen heroes.”
“Being part of the local community for nearly 40 years, it means a great deal to us to build this memorial honoring veterans from our own county who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation,” said Hickory President Burke Pinnell. “This project will always hold a special place in all of our team’s hearts.”
The groundbreaking ceremony for the Blount County War Dead Memorial Plaza will take place during the 52nd Annual Blount County Memorial Day program on May 28, 2016 on the Blount County Courthouse steps at 345 Court Street, Maryville, Tenn., with a reception at 10 a.m. and program to begin at 11 a.m. The dedication of the newly completed memorial will take place on Veterans Day of this year. Commemorative bricks may be purchased in honor or in memory of a veteran. Profits from this fundraiser will aid in funding the project.