Round Trip Miles: 53.2 miles
Total Miles Traveled: 53.2 miles
Latitude: 37.805679
Longitude: -89.027712
Smokey and Miranda traveled 53.2 miles from the Wham building at SIUC in Carbondale, IL to the Herrin Doughboy statue in Herrin, IL.
The Herrin Doughboy Statue at the corner of North Park Avenue in Herrin, IL was created to pay tribute to those who fought and died for our country. The spirit of the American Doughboy Statue, a World War I memorial statue, was dedicated September 6, 1927. Local Veterans groups worked together to create the project. Because of an increase of traffic into the city, the statue was moved in 1956 to a temporary location near Herrin American Legion on East Madison Street. In 1964, it was moved to Herrin City Park and rededicated three years later.
In 2002, the traveling soldier made his way home -- back to the center of downtown Herrin.
The bronze statue and marble base, which together weighs about 25 tons, depicts a World War 1 infantryman with a rifle in one hand and grenade in the other -- forever memorialized in his war garb and deportment.
The state of Illinois originally had six Doughboy statues. The one at Lincoln Park in Chicago is now gone. In addition to Herrin, the others are in Alton, Soldier Field in Chicago, Columbia and Naperville.
I truly did not know how rare it is to have such a well-known statue so close to home. It was a wonderful experience. I found local men who share the same last name as me. Later, I researched more information regarding the statue and local soldiers who died defending our country.
I truly did not know how rare it is to have such a well-known statue so close to home. It was a wonderful experience. I found local men who share the same last name as me. Later, I researched more information regarding the statue and local soldiers who died defending our country.
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