By Jeremy D. Wells
Carter County Times
Carter County’s beloved doughboy statue has made his way to Oberlin, Ohio for repairs after toppling over last summer.
Judge Executive Mike Malone had the doughboy loaded onto his pickup truck last week for transport to McKay Lodge Conservation Laboratory (MLCL), in Oberlin, for repair and restoration.
Malone explained that MLCL will split the zinc statue down the side, install a new reinforced steel skeleton, then braise the statue back together, polish and remove all the old finish, and apply a new finish to give the statue its original bronze look.
They will also make repairs to the previously damaged rifle and hand at that time.
When the doughboy is returned to the community, however, Malone said he would like it to be placed in a more prominent and accessible location than the courthouse lawn, and he is seeking community input on where that should be.
One of the locations Malone suggested was at Veteran’s Park in Grayson. If it were placed in that park it and the brass plaques bearing the names of Carter County’s WWI veterans would be easier to visit, especially for those with mobility issues who might have had difficulty climbing the hill to see the statue in its original location.
Malone said that a local quarry was considering donating a piece of limestone to mount the statue on. In addition, he said, stone from the old county jail, which was recently slated for demolition, could be used to build benches or other features wherever the statue ends up being displayed.
He said once the statue has been repaired and returned to the county, the fiscal court will hold a public meeting to gauge public interest and solicit feedback on appropriate locations and ways to display the historic statue.
Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com
