Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-01-01
Memorial Hall.

There is some ground for confusion
with reference to what is known As
Memorial hall. It may be well to
tell how it is. In the session of 1904
tie legislature established what was
named in the bill Memorial hall. The
superintendent of public property was
instructed to prepare in the capitol
suitable room for the reception OF
relics, books and pictures common.
orative of thescivil war. where they
We're to be permanently kept as object
lessons to teach people in time To
come something of what it cost to
preserve our country from disunion
The law also provided that this room
was to be the headquarters OF the
Wisconsin department of the Grand
Army of the Republic. The state
could not lawfully, of course, say that
G. A. r. headquarters must be in this
place or that. but it could provide "a
place in the state capitol that would
be free for the Grand Army as a
home. and do its printing. etc, as it
does for departments of the state
govepm
1t was a generous act en- the part of
the state to do thing like this. Cen
eral George E. Bryant, sturdy old
soldier that he was, took no little
pride in fitting this room for its spec
flied purpose. When the G. A. +.
moved in. and relics, books and pic
lures had been collected 1t was not
only the prettiest room on the build
il g but the most attractive because
of whac was in it, to visitors. OF
these there registered in seven
iaonths 5000 names. It vas truly said
to be the finest department G. A. r.
| Headquarters in tie United States.
Grand Army rn1n were justly proud o.
it, especially those who lad charge
OF it But on that fateful 9th dag of
February. 1904, the capitol fire des
troytd everything IN the ROOM
Looks. pictures, relics and Grand
Army stuff The door was not I'M
locked, and everything, DID Abe ami
ell, Went up II smoke.
After General Bryant mai estab-
Ished himself, as superintendent of
public property, az 20 North Carroll
street, he invited the Il. A. r. folks to
be at home with him there. That
place was occupied until the spring oil
1905, when, there not being room for
it in the capitol. the Memorial hall,
VT department headquarters, moved
to III North Hamilton Though tho
room was of pretty good size, the
memorial and headquarter stuff so
increased as to fill the place beyond
its capacity. The department remain
ed in that place .ill the latter part Of
September last, when C. c. Bennett.
present superintendent of public Prop
erty, had a room fitted up for it in
the capitol, fourth floor. south wing.
And now about the confusion: Five
years ago an association was formed,
the membership consisting of war
vtterans, Sons of Veterans and
ladies OF the Vvoman's Relief Corps,
the object OF which was to perpetu.
ale the memory of Dane county sol.
d,ers who lost their lives in the civil
war. This organization was incorpor
ated ,-nder the name of the Soldiers
epd Sailors Memorial association for
Dsne county. The association later
purchased the building between the
Avenue Hotel and the Elks' building
| for a home for the local G. A. R. post
| the w. r. c. and the Sons of Vet sr.
ans. It was, and still is, the intention
of the association TO place on the
alls of the rooms of this building
memorial tablets on which shall be
inscribed the name of every Dana
county soldier who gave his life for
his country.
II was quite natural, of course, tc
| oome to speak of this nome of the
| Memorial association as Memoria
hall. And SO, as the room established
III the capitol had been nan ed by Law
Memorial hall, and this other building
came by common consent to have the
came name, no little confusion has
been caused. Time and again, when 4
| meeting has been advertised 10 be
held in Memorial nall, that on Mono
la avenue being meant, have peoplt
wondered where they were to go
Also, while we were down on Carroll
street, and later on North Hamilton
have 4 soldiers from different parts
Of the state, looking for .. A. R. head
quarters, been sent over to the 0ailf
! Ing on MonoBa avenue, and could no.
| get in. And so they have been con
fused and gone away home withoui
being able to find the place for which
they had been looking. Often the
question is asked. What Is Memorial
He'll, anyhow" The only answer that
| can be given is TO be found in what
has been said above This room in
the capitol is thus called by the law
that established it, and the other has
come by the law of habit to have the
the same name. So there Won are.
II the plans of the memorial asso
| citation of Dane county are carried out
the hill on Monona avenue will snrel'
be a memorial hall. Since it is intend
ed 10 commemorate only Dane county
I soldiers, it might be well 10 call il
the Dane county Memorial hail. TAX
| ing pains to mention the county.
have said that the Memorial hal
established by the state has been as
signed a place In. and moved into, the
' capitol. fourth floor, south wing
This will. no doubt. be the end of It's
IL -