The World War I Doughboy monument in Martinsburg, WV is seen in November 2015.

Petition asks for World War I monument to be placed in Martinsburg, WV town square

By Matthew Umstead
Via the Herald-Mail newspaper (WV) web site

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — More than 200 people have signed a petition objecting to a plan to relocate the World War I Doughboy monument to War Memorial Park in Martinsburg, and are instead asking that it be placed in the city's town square.

Six pages listing about 215 signatures were received on March 11 by Martinsburg City Recorder Gena Long's office, according to the city.

Berkeley County plans to move the monument from its current location at 300 W. King St. on the historic Martinsburg post office/federal building property to the park off North Tennessee Avenue.

A U.S. General Services Administration official said March 9 that officials expect to advertise the federal building for public sale in the coming weeks. The agency also indicated that the federal government does not own the monument.

While Army veteran and Martinsburg resident Marvin Orndorff said Tuesday that he helped collect petition signatures since late last year, he added that the monument could possibly remain at the current location if the government would agree to deed the plot of land where the Doughboy sits to the city or county government.

The monument was placed at the current location in the 1920s after city officials refused to allow the statute to be placed at town square, according to historical accounts.

Read the entire article on the Herald-Mail newspaper web site.

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