Cenotaph book project seeks support from Huron County

Article content

HURON – A project to create a book that would preserve Huron County’s war history and possibly revive local cenotaphs is receiving an optimistic response from the county council.

Article content

Local historian David Yates and photographer Conrad Kuiper spoke to council during the July 3 council meeting and requested a $5,000 grant to support their project to create a book showcasing Huron County’s 14 cenotaphs and telling the stories of their creation.

“Every community in the country had to determine or decide how best to commemorate the war dead in their community,” Yates said. “For those people who lived 100 years ago, the names carved in stone or cast in bronze were living flesh and blood that they knew. Every community in Huron County has a remarkable story about how they came to the decision about the shape of their cenotaph.”

According to Yates, the cenotaphs in Huron County vary in age: the oldest was erected in Hurondale in 1919 and the newest in Clinton in 1966.

Article content

The goal of the proposed non-profit project is to produce the book using Kuiper’s photographs and stories prepared by Yates, with all profits going to the county to preserve the region’s cenotaphs.

During his speech to the city council, Kuiper talked about his travels throughout Huron County to take photographs to be included in the book.

“As I was traveling around and taking photos, I noticed a few things,” Kuiper said. “First, how many monuments there are. I didn’t realize that, and then I noticed that I kept driving past many of them and didn’t even notice them. This project has really helped me raise my personal awareness, which I really appreciate. I hope I can spread that.”

Article content

Kuiper said his travels had given him an insight into the condition of many cenotaphs in the region and pointed out that further work would be needed to preserve them in the coming years.

“Although most of them are in pretty good shape, they could use some love, care and attention,” he said. “The phrase ‘We will remember them’ keeps appearing on these monuments. Sometimes I worry that we might forget.”

Councilman Paul Klopp expressed his support for the project during the meeting and introduced a motion directing county staff to prepare a report on the funding request, noting that he wanted to ensure the county followed its regular funding request process.

“I think it’s a good project for $5,000,” Klopp said.

Council member Trevor Bazinet agreed with Klopp’s supportive comments.

“I think the idea of ​​returning over $5,000 in seed money to the county is a great one,” he said.

Article content