Refreshed World War I Statue Shines On Veterans Day

November 12, 2020

A rejuvenated statue honoring World War I service members in Falls Township was unveiled on Veterans Day.

Falls Township held a short ceremony to mark the recent conservation of the Doughboy statue that sits at Meetinghouse Square in the township’s Fallsington section. Doughboy was a popular nickname for U.S. infantryman during the war.

Kreilick Conservation was hired by the township earlier this year to clean the statue and pedestal, strengthen the stone, repair a crack, and recreate a missing barrel in the rifle stock. The wall and brick walkway around the statue were steam clean.

Bob Harvie, a Bucks County Commissioner and former Falls Township supervisor, said during a small ceremony that the statue has been a part of the township for close to 100 years.

Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie speaking.
Credit: Darryl Rule/LevittownNow.com

“It was a horrendous war,” Harvie said of World War I.

State Rep. John Galloway, of Falls Township, thanked the township for repairing the cleaning the veterans statue.

State Rep. John Galloway looking at the names on the statue base. Credit: Darryl Rule/LevittownNow.com

“We’re not tearing down statues,” Galloway said. “We’re not here to denigrate our history. We’re here to celebrate our history.”

Veterans in attendance were provided thank you kits by Historic Fallsington Executive Director Kimberly Boice. She also offered “sincere and heartfelt gratitude” to veterans.

Kimberly Boice of Historic Fallsington speaking.
Credit: Darryl Rule/LevittownNow.com

“Some returned home,” Boice told the small crowd gathered at the statue. “Others did not. All bore the scars and marks of their service.”

Falls Township Supervisors Chairman Jeff Dence said the statue’s recent repair and cleaning was part of the township’s commitment to preservation of historic sites.