The Lynbrook military memorial is a must-visit during your stay in Lynbrook. One of the destination’s popular attractions is the unbelievable lifelike Doughboy Monument. While Doughboy monuments were distributed across different parts of the United States, not many of them can be traced today. Fortunately, you can witness one in Lynbrook Village, NY. The monument stands proudly in the Saperstein plaza compound, hardly a few meters from the Long Island Rail Road station. It is mounted on a rock-solid pedestal to give it its World War era appeal. Interestingly, on each side of the pedestal are inscriptions of names of Lynbrook’s very own soldiers who took part in the civil war. The statue is also fondly referred to as the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. Statistics show that the Doughboy monuments are the second most seen monuments across the United States after the Statue of Liberty.
The history of the Doughboy monuments started in the early 1920s when a famous sculptor by the name of Ernest Moorey Viquesney was commissioned to come up with the statues in honor of America’s World War 1 heroes. Lynbrook was one of the recipients of the iconic copper statuettes. Lynbrook’s very own Doughboy arrived on the 12th of October, 1921. The Soldiers and Sailors Monument has a fascinating history. The statue was first installed at the turn of Blake Avenue and Merrick road. Shortly after its installation, the entire construction was hit by a car and bumped the statue off its mounting. A few parts were broken, and the damage was estimated at around 2000 dollars. Amazingly, the veterans were able to restore the entire structure after a unanimously popular decision by the people of Lynbrook. However, the statue continued to suffer other damages due to its location. The then American Legion in Lynbrook decided to have the statue relocated. After a brief stalemate, the Lynbrook Public Library compound then became the Doughboy Monument’s new home.
Another reason to stop over at the monument is its association with Veteran’s day. For close to a century, Lynbrook’s residents, politicians, and soldiers have gathered around the monument to commemorate the important day. In 2018, it was announced that the iconic statuette would receive a prestigious memorial designation from the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials platform, something to keep in mind when you visit the Saperstein plaza. One of the perks that come with the designation is restoration grants. The program also creates awareness about the World Wars’ happenings, citing the statue as a clear reminder.
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Also visit the Regal Lynbrook and RPX Theatre, Nassau County, NY
