THE PRESIDENT'S PAGE------

A VERY SPECIAL PROJECT

On June 6, 2023, I received an email whose subject line indicated, "Looking for information about a WWI soldier monument made by Nellie Boyd."  

The email continued:

"Hello - 

I'm the great-granddaughter of Nellie Boyd, who designed and created a life-size statue of a World War I soldier in 1918. According to an article I have attached, the statue was made while on her family farm near Altamont, IL and moved to the VFW home in Effingham in the late 1950s.  The article mentioned the location as "the Veterans of Foreign Wars post on South Fourth Street Road." 

I'm not sure if the VFW post is still at that location or if the statue is there - or somewhere - in Effingham. 

If you are able to assist me in tracking down this statue, I would greatly appreciate it!

Thank you, 

Barb Boyd"

Upon receiving that message, a Museum project, in cooperation with the Effingham VFW Post, began, eventually leading to the rededication of that more-than-100-year-old work of art returning to its position on the grounds of the military organization's grounds.  Pictured below is the restored statue with a portrait of the the "Soldier Boy," Lawrence Durre. Below that is the related news story which appeared in the Effingham Daily News:

      

 

"On August 4, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., a newly restored statue World War I veteran, Lawrence Durre, who died in Brest, France, as the result of a poison gas attack, November 10, 1918, will be rededicated on the Effingham VFW grounds, 2304 S Veterans Dr.  The statue was created in 1918, but had fallen into disrepair several years; however, in a project led by the Effingham County Museum, and involving individuals from local private businesses, the school system, and a number of private citizens joined in the effort to put the statue back in place at the VF W.

The public is invited to the brief rededication service.  Attendees who have difficulty standing for more than ten minutes are encouraged to bring lawn chairs."

THE REDEDICTION SERVICE WAS A GRAND ONE.  BOTH THE SOLDIER AND THE WONDERFUL ORIGINAL ARTIST WERE HONORED BY THE SPEECHES GIVEN THAT DAY.  THE PUBLIC CAN SEE THE RESULT OF THE WORK DONE BETWEEN JUNE 8, 2023 AND AUGUST 4, 2025, THE RESULT OF A LARGE COMMUNITY EFFORT UNITING THE EFFINGHAM COUNTY MUSEUM WITH THE EFFINGHAM VFW POST, THE EFFINGHAM UNIT 40 SCHOOL SYSTEM, AREA CITIZENS AND NUMEROUS LOCAL BUSINESSES WHO WILLINGLY DONATED TIME, EQUIPMENT, AND MONEY TO THE PROJECT.

 

PHOTOS SHOWING THE SOLDIER BOY STATUE PROJECT FROM (1) ITS BEING SET IN PLACE IN 1960 AT THE EFFINGHAM VFW,  TO (2) ITS DETERIORATED AND VANDALIZED STATE WHICH LED TO ITS  PLACEMENT IN A STORAGE SHED, TO (3) ITS RESTORATION IN AN AREA FARM MACHINE SHED, TO (4) THE FINISHED PRODUCT:

 (1)            (2)                                       (3)           (4)  

 

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When the Effingham County Chamber held their ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Effingham County Historic Courtyard and Gazebo, a structure which” stands as a tribute to Effingham’s past, present and future, two Effingham County Museum officers were part of ceremony.  LoElla Baker, Museum Secretary, on the far right in the first row, and Delaine Donaldson, Museum President, in the second row on the far right, also.