Looking Back: Where’s the missing Lewisboro memorial?

The Lewisboro Hamlet WWII memorial stands at the entrance to the Lake Kitchawan beach. In ths 1950's photo above, two Girl Scouts serve as honor guard for the memorial. COURTESY OF MAUREEN KOEHL

By MAUREEN L. KOEHL

Where is the missing Lewisboro Honor Roll? Erected in the 1940s, the official wooden memorial listing all the names of those Lewisboro men and women who served our country during World War II stood opposite Flagpole Corner, on Presbyterian Church property at the intersection of Spring and Main streets. Each May 30, the town held Memorial Day ceremonies beneath the large white wooden monument after a short parade from the Town House, further north on Main Street. Historically, the South Salem Memorial Day Parade has never been a long one, just one of the best in the USA! Probably the Goldens Bridge residents claim theirs is the best! We don’t want to step on any toes here.

There are two World War II memorial boards still standing, one in Goldens Bridge and one at the entrance to the Lake Kitchawan beach commemorating veterans from those hamlets. The large white wooden memorials that stood in Cross River and South Salem have disappeared. It is hard to believe that these testimonials were just taken down and destroyed. Searches of town office basements have yielded nothing but cobwebs and spiders.

Looking back at the Lewisboro Chronicle newspapers from May 1946 and 1947, news articles mention both parades, the Goldens Bridge march always in the morning, ending at the Goldens Bridge war monument, and the South Salem parade later in the day. Not much has changed in the past 78 years. The scouts, firemen and veterans formed the line of march and the youngest scouts placed a wreath in memory of those who lost their lives in service to the country. The official town observances took place in South Salem at 3 p.m., with a guest speaker and music provided by the Katonah High School band (pre-John Jay days).

According to the Lewisboro Chronicle, “Ceremonies in the past few years have been sponsored by the War Council of the town, but in lieu of a peacetime Memorial Day, it was felt that the Town and not the War Council sponsor the program.” 

The newspaper noted that the ceremonies were dedicated “to those Americans Yet Unborn who on Memorial Days to come will revere those who died to pave the way for Peace.” Under a drawing of Old Glory, the dedication continued … “Blue for Loyalty – White for Purity – and Red for the blood which has been shed. It must wave forever more in Peace, in Gratitude to those who gave their lives to keep it Free.”

Nowadays, our town Memorial Day festivities take place on the lawn of the present Town House, the former Keeler home on Main Street. The ranks of marchers in our little parade still include members of the scouts, the three fire departments and a dwindling number of veterans. These companies are joined by the Lewisboro Lions and Seniors, other town organizations and members of the town board. What’s missing is the Lewisboro Honor Roll. In 1946 that honor roll included more than 300 names. Many years ago, a small stone monument was installed in front of the Town House to commemorate all our war heroes, and it is in front of that stone that the scouts will lay the wreath on Monday. The stone with its plaque has its place, but it is the names that are important to our history. Perhaps it is time to renew the search for those old wooden monuments so that we can add the names of the men and women of our town who served our country in the wars that followed WWII.

In that same Lewisboro Chronicle for May 24, 1946, there was an editorial about the lack of space in the current Town Hall, which was then occupying a room in a building north of the present offices. And we quote, “It is unanimously agreed by the members of the Town Board, although they haven’t committed themselves, that present facilities incorporated in the Lewisboro Town Hall are just a bit cramped. 

“Such is the suggestion … that one of the old homesteads such as the old Studwell home on Main Street be utilized (The Keeler home).” 

It came to pass that the Keeler home was purchased in 1949 and the town offices were moved in a year later. Today, in May 2025, the town is still looking for space to conduct its business: Where will our police and building departments go when the space at LES is vacated? When will we have a museum to house the town’s history? The town has been holding town meetings since 1747. After 278 years, it’s time to get our municipal act together. 

In his book, “South Salem Soldiers and Sailors,” published in 1927, South Salem historian Theodore Van Norden stated his intention was to reflect “the love of country that has characterized our people throughout the two centuries. At every crisis there has been a response beyond what might be justly expected of a small rural community.” He gives brief bios and a summary of each war’s local participants up to the Great War.

The Revolutionary War sent 54 townsmen to battle — 45 from South Salem, the rest from Cross River, Vista and Waccabuc. Goldens Bridge was still considered a part of the Van Cortlandt Manor. The names of Benedicts, Boutons, Keelers, Meads and Raymonds are prominent. The most famous figure was David Williams who was one of the trio that captured Major John André. 

The Civil War saw 75 Lewisboro men off to fight. The Rusco/Ruscoe family sent the most — 10 brothers, fathers and cousins, plus two brothers-in-law. Several of our soldiers died in southern prisons, and some, like John Benedict Lawrence, succumbed to illness and died in hospital. Lawrence, father of seven, enlisted in January 1864, at the age of 49. He died of pneumonia in June 1864. 

Fifty-four men and one woman from town served in the Great War. 

It is our duty to keep their service in our memory. 

Maureen Koehl is the Lewisboro town historian.