Work begins on Clearmont Valley Veterans Memorial

The Clearmont Historical Group, along with Ira Roadifer and Bruce Yates, are beginning work on the Clearmont Valley Veterans Memorial,  to honor those in the valley who gave their lives in service to their country.

       I talked to long time Clearmont area resident Ira Roadifer on Sunday August 2, and he gave me an update about how the memorial is being completed.

       “Bruce Yates is working on the signage, and the names to be engraved on intimation marble, which is more durable and shatterproof.  The names will be in the middle of the memorial, and on one wing we will have the insignias of the various branches of the service, and on the other wing will be dedications.  We hope to get permission to use the Wyoming State Seal on the Memorial as well.”  Ira pointed to the top of the memorial, “We have bricks from the old Clearmont railroad depot on the wings, and on the top of the middle section are rocks from the old rock school.  The railroad and the rock school were a big part of Clearmont’s history.” Many of those veterans honored on the memorial attended Clearmont Schools, and undoubtly many rode the train to the military boot camps.

       Much of the memorial work has been done by volunteers, including Clearmont resident Steve Switzer, who owns the Clear Creek Stop convenience store and his brother, Brant, who is a mason.  He helped to build the memorial.  Steve said although he was not a veteran, many in his family served.

       As a way to raise funds, and to allow residents and others to be a part of the Memorial, Ira said they are selling railroad bricks that can be engraved with either contributor’s names of the names of their loved ones who served.  Currently, the price on the bricks is to be determined. “It will depend on the cost of engraving the bricks, but it shouldn’t be too high,”  Roadifer said.  They will be placed along the sides of the memorial.

       Roadifer, a veteran himself, has traveled around Wyoming and getting ideas from other towns that have memorials, when he came up with the idea of doing one in Clearmont.

       “We plan to have it done by Veteran’s Day, we hope some notables will come for the dedication.”  Roadifer added.

       The memorial is located along highway 14/16 in Clearmont.