Confederate Monument falls in Jefferson

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Confederate Monument falls in Jefferson

Friday, June 10. 2011

A portion of the Confederate Monument fell on Friday while contractors working on the Jefferson Streetscape project in downtown were moving the structure.

Just the top portion of the monument broke away at a seam when a strap snapped from a crane. The piece fell onto a large pile of dirt and wasn’t damaged.

There was no other damage to the monument and no one was hurt in the incident. Traffic was stopped while workers moved the monument.

The 100-year-old monument will be moved a few feet to a new location in the Jefferson Public Square, along Sycamore Street. The Friends of the Monument and Jefferson Camp 94 of the Sons of the Confederate Veterans have raised funds for a second monument on the square, which will be located near the existing monument.

The Confederate Monument was unveiled in the city square in April 1911. A soldier that was atop the memorial was toppled and shattered in 1940. In 1997, some of the pieces of the solider were “resurrected” by members of the UDC, the Sons of the Confederate Veterans and a re-enactors group.

The Crawford W. Long Monument will remain in its existing spot.

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#1 concerned taxpayers on 06/10/11 at 03:20 PM [Reply]

the downtown remodel has been a series of screw ups, one after another. parts of the sidewalks have been dug up at least 3 times!! must have hire 3 Stooges construction for this job. wonder if they will be finished by the end of this year?

#1.1 Concerned on 06/20/11 at 01:53 PM [Reply]

The sad truth is the contractors are not listed as licensed Utility Contractors and they have violated more OSHA codes than I can count in the last year. Sad that Grant $ was wasted on the constant redoing of their work. Hate to see how much it will cost when the rest of their work falls apart under ground.

#2 ralph on 06/11/11 at 09:32 AM [Reply]

This whole project is a total waste of tax money. Traffic will have problems getting through town not to mention the loss of business experienced by some and the two parallel parking spaces in front of Mike's is a real joke. The only one coming out on this deal is Ms. Laughinghouse who seems to think it everyone's opinion but hers is of no importance. She needs to be taken off the public dole and that salary saved.

#2.1 In defense of Beth on 06/18/11 at 08:51 PM [Reply]

Idiot. The City of Jefferson received a GRANT to refurbish all the streets, and Ms. Laughinghouse is paid by the GRANT, not the City of Jefferson.

#2.1.1 General on 06/19/11 at 05:58 AM [Reply]

Oh yes GRANT, who grows his own money and distributes it equitably amongst the people......maybe he should run for president.

Sheesh.

The streetscape project is looking fantastic and I think they are doing a great job of minimizing the impact on the local business and traffic.

Looking forward to seeing the finished product!

#3 BR549 on 06/11/11 at 07:32 PM [Reply]

They must be getting paid by the hour instead of the job as long as it has taken to get this done. Maybe they need to get the convicts out there to finish it up.

#4 Casual Observer on 06/12/11 at 08:31 AM [Reply]

If anyone ever wondered just how screwed up a small city could be, they need only look at how badly Jefferson has managed this disaster project. The downtown screams "I AM STUPID" to all that pass. Any city administration responsible for such a fiasco should be fired on the spot.

#5 Michael McCarthy on 06/12/11 at 11:00 PM [Reply]

I think this is a worthy project. Much tourism (with tax revenue) will come to a restored southern city with a nice square. I hope the monument is restored with no damage. I love history.

#5.1 Really? on 06/13/11 at 08:29 AM [Reply]

Tourism? To where... Subway? We don't have a square. We have an intersection. We have a couple of drug stores, some law offices and a sandwich place. I suppose if you're hungry, need a prescription refilled and could use some legal representation, you can be a tourist.

#5.1.1 Michael McCarthy on 06/13/11 at 11:49 AM [Reply]

What about the Crawford Long Museum. There are many possibilities. I used to live in Abbeville, SC. Google it. People come from all around to see this quaint little town. Jefferson could be beautiful. It HAD a square and could again. With the bypass it is no longer necessary to have a run down downtown area. Time to spruce it up!

#6 Jason on 06/13/11 at 08:21 AM [Reply]

I have been a Jefferson resident for a couple of years but I feel like the improvements were needed. As far as the downtown development, the plans have been made available to the public for numerous years. The complainers that write in now and complain about parallel parking, etc then they should have taken the time to review the plans and make any proposal for change to the City of Jefferson BEFORE they started the job not AFTER!! To blame Ms. Laughinghouse after the fact for this is simply ridiculous!! For those of you complaining now we will gladly accept your apology later, while you are enjoying the beautiful finished project with your families!

#6.1 Upset on 06/13/11 at 12:23 PM [Reply]

I do not think the plans are the issue at this point. I think the issue is the complete mess that has been made of the downtown area for an unbelievable amount of time. How can anyone talk of the benefit to downtown businesses if the few businesses still remaining on the square can not actually conduct business? How are these businesses supposed to continue to operate when all of their customers have been driven elsewhere by a lack of the ability to park? In an economy that has most people suffering, the small business owners on the square do not need the city driving away the people willing to spend money at their businesses.

I would like to also comment on the utterly ridiculous width of the concrete that juts out on the outside of each of these new glorified green areas. Entrances to the parking lots on both sides of the square are too narrow. Backing out of the end parking space in front of the pharmacy requires that one aim for the entrance in order to not hit the wall of concrete that has been poured next to that spot. The lanes of the streets heading towards Commerce seem very narrow when there are still parking spaces along the street. Basically, the whole thing is a mess.

#6.1.1 just saying.... on 06/15/11 at 06:23 AM [Reply]

Those juts will actually hurt the Jefferson PD with their revenue raising efforts. Since that is in a 25mph speed limit zone, drivers will have to go 25 (or less). There will be no way to give speeding tickets in downtown Jefferson. (Unless Jefferson can come up with a way to give tickets for going under 25!)

#7 Jefferson Native on 06/13/11 at 08:46 AM [Reply]

downtown store fronts are mostly empty and will only get worse when the CVS opens on the bypass. anyone really think that the 2 drugstores can survive that competition? that will leave only a couple of businesses left on the square plus 2 restaurants (one of which is rarely open) and the bank. this is a major boondoggle that will never pay for itself just like the money wasted on the old courthouse.

#7.1 Jefferson Resident on 06/13/11 at 05:16 PM [Reply]

Good point, but I hope that doesn't happen. I don't plan to change my shopping habits. I frequent Crawford Long Pharmacy several times a month and use Downtown Interiors as a great gift buying place. Both stores offer superb customer service and personal attention. You can't get that, or the feeling of supporting your local community, at CVS or Kroger. I will continue to drive past the Kroger intersection to shop downtown and hope others do the same. What happens to the businesses on the square is up to us consumers. I also agree that it is time for them to finish this agonizing project!

#8 gadawg on 06/13/11 at 08:24 PM [Reply]

who are these contractors related to in our city govt? furthermore, who is in control of the rediculous tax rate in this county. enjoy your 30 million dollar court houses and curbs finished with grinders. as business leaves and homeowners move to cheaper counties maybe the "powers that be" will be booted and sanity restored. how about implementing a dmv in our county instead of granite and b.s.

#9 The Realist on 06/18/11 at 07:02 AM [Reply]

Charming old southern towns are no longer needed. They are destined to wither on the vine. Just like the American middle class.

This project is comparative to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. It's busy but pointless activity.

Vertical alignment along travel corridors will be the only arrangement that enables the delivery of needed services to a growing population.

#9.1 Not Pointless on 06/19/11 at 08:40 AM [Reply]

Go llok at other cities that have done this have become a small tourist attraction. They do not wither. Look at the City of McDonough, south of Atlanta. They have a historic square and when they finished they filled all of there shops and have a thriving area, and Jonesboro, they did the same thing. Ye of little faith. You are realistic in your thoughts if you are pessimistic about what can happen.

#10 Joe Christmas on 06/18/11 at 01:48 PM [Reply]

The money spent on renovating downtown Jefferson will give the street preachers a better place to stand and shout. Also it will give the doughnut sellers better postioning. Maybe they will combine their forces and we will have street preachers selling doughnuts.

#11 Jack Martin on 06/21/11 at 05:13 AM [Reply]

It does seem like the contractors and the people in charge of this process didn't have all of there plan together when the work started. Why don't we hear who the contractors are and why they would dig up the very area they had just finished etc. The project has taken to long to finish and no one has any explaination for the delays. Poor workmanship? Poor planning? Poor leadership? What? Who would the public hear this from? Our newspaper maybe could help shed some light on these issues.

The renovation of the downtown area is a good thing but I do question why it has taken so long which I think everyone is just tired of putting up with the mess. Finish it already please.

#12 isitjustme on 06/21/11 at 08:22 AM [Reply]

I believe this article and comments really got things moving.
I noticed there have now been no breaks and no days off for the project.

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