In 2008, the Northbrook Historical Society spearheaded a community drive to build a memorial to remember and honor Northbrook residents who gave their lives in service to our country. These young men are much more than names and statistics. They are sons, bothers, husbands, fathers, uncles and cousins, as well as, students from our schools, and our neighbors and friends. They gave their lives for the freedoms we enjoy and, until we took action, they had not received the recognition and honor that they deserved.
In life, they honored our country and their hometown by their service – and now, our village honors them.
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Since 2009, the Fallen Soldiers Memorial has been located at the Walters Avenue entrance to the walk along the river in the Village Green, right next to the Northbrook History Museum.
The memorial contains:
- A lighted flagpole.
- A granite monument listing the names of those who gave their lives while in service beginning in 1861.
- A child-size sculpture by artist James Haire entitled: “For Which It Stands“.
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One more note: There are several monuments in town dedicated to all veterans. However, the only memorial that lists any of the men by name is a plaque dedicated on November 12th, 2007 to the eight men who graduated from District 225 schools and gave their lives for our country. The plaque is located in the lobby of the Sheely Center for Performing Arts at Glenbrook North High School. Each of these men and their families has a story that should be told. Yet, few at home knew their stories or remembered the ultimate sacrifice they gave. Until recently, they had been an forgotten part of our history.
