This restoration effort has been spearheaded by the Wilton Main Street Association (WMSA).  The total cost of $4,000 was made possible by the generous contributions from two arms of the Bent-Burke Legion Family (American Legion and the Sons of the American Legion), and the WMSA, including its 2022 appropriation from Wilton taxpayers. The Wilton Heritage Commission also contributed.

The project involved the restoration of the six bronze plaques, and cleaning the granite of three memorials.  The fourth and newest memorial, an Eagle Scout project honoring the post-Vietnam era veterans, did not require any restoration.

WMSA contracted with Manchester Memorial Co to do the cleaning of the granite, and the bronze refinishing was completed Daniel Grenier (with his grandson Anton Dubois) of Dan's Cemetery Lettering in Barre, Vt. The process involved a gentle surface grinding/cleaning to remove the dirt and patina.  The plaques were then carefully coated with a dark bronze paint, and then the lettering was ground again ever so slightly to reveal the shiny finish so that the names really stand out.  Finally, a sealer was applied to protect the newly restored surfaces.

The result of this work made all the names much clearer and can be made out even from a distance. “Our veterans gave so much of themselves serving our country, and their names should be honored by all of us in gratitude for their service to us”, said Alison Meltzer, President of the WMSA. “It is quite remarkable to me how many of those names are still common in Wilton.  It speaks about a community that holds onto its own, or calls them back from away after a time”.

For more information on the history of the memorials and Monument Park, click below.

History of Monument Park