Monumental Challenge

Preserving History for Generations to Come

On a cold January day in 2022, Daughters of the American Revolution, Pioneer Chapter Historical Preservation Committee members met at Silent Camp with Jerry Pugh, volunteer services coordinator from Boise Parks and Recreation, to discuss cleaning the Union Soldier monument in Silent Camp, located in Morris Hill. What started out as a small “monument project,” quickly became a “Monumental Challenge” as Pioneer members realized how dirty the marble veteran headstones were. To address these concerns, and as a proactive step, the team agreed the headstones would be washed carefully with soap and water, then treated with the biological cleaner, D2. Headstones requiring re-leveling would be addressed at the same time. 

 

The scope of the project expanded to cover the cleaning, re-leveling, and maintenance of all 2,000 memorials. With so much history present in the cemetery, and with so many Boiseans unaware of the military significance of Morris Hill, Pioner Chapter believed a project focusing on the preservation and restoration work at Silent Camp and Field of Honor 1 and 2 was in order. Pioneer Chapter had an opportunity to raise awareness of the site, generate community interest and support for maintaining the stones, and demonstrate an ongoing commitment to honoring the community’s veterans. 

 

From 2022-2024 volunteers cleaned all memorials in Silent Camp and Field of Honor 1 & 2 on a regular schedule, in over 15 separate cleaning dates. Completion was only possible due to the many volunteers who spent countless hours with scrub brushes and shovels. In addition to the efforts of DAR volunteers and Boise Parks and Recreation, community involvement included volunteers from Fort Boise Chapter Sons of the American Revolution, church and school groups, Idaho Civil War Volunteers, and service volunteers from a local television station.

 

All participating volunteers had an opportunity to remember each soldier laid to rest, honor their service to the country, and teach the students who participated about the values of community and military service. Students worked alongside adults, were able to ask questions, and observe the modeled, respectful behaviors when working around the stones. Student volunteers learned lessons of philanthropy by giving of their time and energy. 

 

Through carefully researched restoration instructions, and the reading of the engravings, each volunteer enhanced their knowledge of patriotism, historical preservation, and the history of the city of Boise. They gained a deep respect for this hallowed ground and the service of the American heroes buried here. The headstones were cleaned with exceptionally loving care. This stewardship will continue as Pioneer Chapter and Boise Parks and Recreation honors these veterans.

 

Recognizing Unmarked, Fallen Patriots
While cleaning the headstones, it was hard not to notice how many grave sites appeared to be unmarked. Soldiers were buried under the cemetery’s turf, but their headstones were either missing or nonexistent. 

 

Long ago when several military veterans passed, VA memorials were not placed to commemorate their lives or service. They were forgotten. Years passed – more than 100 years in some cases--until Pioneer Chapter researched and applied for appropriate memorials from VA. The research for VA approval involves finding “proof of service” by exhaustively searching many historical sources such as Idaho State Archives, Fold3.com, Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and the archives of local newspapers. Once approved, the VA engraves and ships these memorials at no cost.