By Audrey Posten
The Northeast Iowa Vietnam Veterans Association is eying a location along U.S. Highway 18, at Giard, to honor Vietnam War veterans.
The organization—made up of Vietnam veterans from Allamakee, Buchanan, Clayton, Delaware, Fayette and Winneshiek counties—is collaborating with local Eagle Scouts, the Clayton County Historic Preservation Commission and potentially the Giard Methodist Church on the effort, tentatively called the Giard Memorial Park.
As part of her Eagle Scout project, Emma Koether has already erected a flag pole with a decorative stone base on the church-owned property located between the highway and church. Working with the Clayton County Historic Preservation Commission, there are plans for a future Eagle Scout project to add a story board commemorating the Giard Tract, awarded to Basil Giard in October 1800 as one of several Spanish land grants in what is now Iowa.
Giard resident Bob Meyer, a member of the Clayton County Historic Preservation Commission and Giard Methodist Church, said the tract was over 5,600 acres. Many Clayton County titles stem from it today, and the unincorporated community of Giard was named for this first white settler to live in the area that became Marquette and McGregor.
“Since he lived on the Iowa side of the Mississippi and farmed there for awhile, they awarded him this large area,” Meyer explained during a November meeting between the groups. “There’s a plaque commemorating that, which was in the Marquette City Park. When the bridge went in, they moved it by the city shop/police department, but you can’t see it now. It would be kind of nice to bring that out here and incorporate it into the design of the Giard Memorial Park.”
Both the State Historical Society and Clayton County Historic Preservation Commission have given their blessings to move it, Meyer indicated.
While this work was going on, “we’ve been looking for a spot for a memorial to commemorate the end of the Vietnam War,” shared Dennis Mason of Marquette, president of the Northeast Iowa Vietnam Veterans Association. “Several of us have been looking all over the county and we noticed this site.”
After approaching the other entities, “everybody seemed interested, and look what it turned into,” he added. “I’m very impressed and thankful that everybody is on board for a project like this.”
The veterans are proposing to erect two shelters on the site, one of which would store and display the association’s Vietnam War memorial float, which honors area veterans who died in the war. That shelter would have an opening allowing for the float to be removed for parades and other events. Eventually, they’d like to add electricity and even restrooms.
“We need to have a good plan so we don’t infringe on one another—a plan we can all agree on and still respect each other’s sites. This is just a start,” he said.
Adding to the historical significance of the site, HPC chair Roger Thomas said cut stone from a stone arch bridge that needs to be removed near his home near Elkader could potentially be incorporated into the site.
It could be used “as a barrier that’s easier to identify the area,” Thomas said.
With his economic development and legislative experience, Thomas pushed the group to consider sustainability as plans progress.
“There are some logistical things we have to come up with and financial considerations as well. Who’s going to maintain it? Who’s going to mow the grass? Insurance-wise, who’s going to take care of any vandalism? This is a big project now,” he stated.
Mason and other veterans agreed. He said the group plans to start fundraising for the memorial. He hopes enough could be raised, at some point, to create a perpetual care fund to help maintain the park. Anyone who would like to contribute can send donations to P.O. Box 136, Marquette, IA 52158.
In the meantime, Mason is spearheading development of a conceptual plan. The groups will also continue to speak with other Giard and county entities to assure they are on board with the projects.
