Allamakee co. IAGenWeb - Military records

The memorial, located atop Mt. Hosmer in Veterans Memorial Park, Lansing, Allamakee co. Iowa, is in a beautiful and serene setting. There are three limestone boulders, each with a plaque. Behind the boulders, in a semi-circle are six white pine trees. From left to right, the plaques and their inscriptions:

	This memorial erected by the Lansing American Legion and VFW Posts and dedicated on Veterans Day, November 11, 2001. Six white pine trees were planted at this memorial site as a symbolic replacement of the trees destroyed by fire. These trees will become part of the remaining grove of the original memorial trees adjacent to this site.

	Flagpoles and memorial tablets were placed on three overlook points on Mt. Hosmer in 1928 in memory of three Lansing soldiers who lost their lives in WW1. These soldiers and their original memorial tablets are: BECK POINT - overlooking the Mississippi River, flag pole tablet reads: Dedicated to the memory of William E. Beck, who made the supreme sacrifice for his country in the World War at Fismes, battle of Aisnes-Marine August 4, 1918. STRONG POINT - overlooking the center of town, flag pole tablet reads: Dedicated to the memory of Robert Strong, who made the supreme sacrifice for his country in the World War, battle of the Meuse-Argonne, October 2, 1918. GYLNN POINT - overlooking the west end of town, flag pole marker reads: Dedicated to the memory of George R. Glynn, who made the supreme sacrifice for his country in the World War at Boise de Gesme, battle of the Meuse-Argonne, October 5, 1918.

	1920 - Mt. Hosmer hill donated to the Lansing American Legion Post 1922 - 634 white pine trees planted in memory of each Allamakee county veterans of WW1 1925 - Most pine trees destroyed in the hill fire 1926 - American Legion donated its Mt. Hosmer property to the City of Lansing for Memorial Park 1928 - Dedication of Veterans Memorial Park 2001 - Rededication of WW1 Veterans Memorial

Photos & tablet transcriptions contributed by Sharyl Ferrall for the Allamakee co. IAGenWeb

Two 500 foot hills look down on the town -- Mt. Hosmer on the north and northwest, Mt. Ida on the south. The value of both is appreciated by Lansing people, and each of these wooded heights has been devoted to a public purpose. A tract of fifty-seven acres including Mt. Hosmer was dedicated in 1923 as a public park, a memorial to Allamakee county soldiers of the World War and is now open and used by people from near and far. A tract of thirty acres including Mt. Ida has been offered to the Izaak Walton League of America as a site for a memorial to Will H. Dilg.

The park was dedicated as a memorial to three Lansing boys who lost their lives overseas during the World War -- William Beck, Robert Strong and George Glynn. Three flagstaffs stand as memorials to them, one on each of the three peaks of the hill, and from each staff the American flag is flown on all appropriate days. This 500 foot hilltop park of fifty-seven acres overlooking the Mississippi constitutes one of the most striking war memorials in Iowa, being one which it would be difficult if not impossible to duplicate in any other city in the state. The Lansing park board, the American Legion post, and the citizens of the town have carried the memorial idea still farther and have planted in the park 634 white pine trees -- one for each Allamakee county soldier, who served in the World War. On each tree a metal tag carrying the name of the soldier will be placed next year, when appropriate ceremonies will be held to dedicate the park to its enlarged memorial purpose.
-source- Lansing Home-Coming Program, Lansing, Iowa, July 1928
-contributed by Errin Wilker