In Feb. 21-27 issue

Jamestown’s "Doughboy" statue was one of more than 150 located around the United States as memorials to the local communties’ war dead, honoring those who gave their lives in service.

Officially known as “The Spirit of the American Doughboy,” the sculpture was designed by E. M. Viquesney, designed to honor the veterans and casualties of World War I.

It was mass produced during the 1920s and 1930s.

The statue depicts a doughboy walking through shattered tree stumps strung with barbed wire, his rifle in his left hand and his right hand held high above his head, clutching a hand grenade.

The aggressive design and affordability of the statue made it extremely popular, and more than 150 copies of it were created for municipal memorials across the nation.

The Smithsonian American Art Museum currently lists 159 locations. Of that number, 134 currently existing originals have been independently authenticated, and several have been identified as copies by other artists.

Viquesney's actual brochures quoted a figure of over 300 by the late 1930s, claiming at least one in every state of the Union, but this is believed to be an inflated figure.

There are three versions of the statue: The original issue in pressed copper, copyrighted in 1920 and produced by Friedley-Voshardt Company of Chicago, IL, from 1921 to 1933; a rare stone version, copyrighted in 1922 and existing in only three locations (Madison, GA, Madison, WV, and Parsons, KS); and a cast zinc version (often copper-plated) copyrighted in 1934.

The Jamestown statue was dedicated on Nov. 11, 1937. This would make it one of the zinc versions.

It’s metal was noticeable different than that definitely copper one located on the town square in neighboring Monticello. The Wayne County statue was dedicated in 1923.

According to the Smithsonian list, the statue is also located in several other Kentucky communities: Grayson, Harlan, Morehead, Pikeville, Springfield and Winchester.