For his Eagle Scout project, Signal Mountain resident Turner Eades refurbished the town's World War II Memorial Park. (Contributed photo)At the corner of James Boulevard and Timberlinks Drive, a well-trafficked intersection in Signal Mountain, sits a small park and stone fountain. On the back of the fountain is a plaque listing the names of 21 men from the town who died serving their country in World War II, thus the park was dedicated in 1956 as World War II Memorial Park.
Even though many people pass the intersection almost every day on their way to Nolan Elementary, Signal Mountain Middle/High School and the Signal Mountain Golf and Country Club, few are aware of the park or what it symbolizes, said Signal Mountain Boy Scout Turner Eades. The ninth-grader set out to change this while earning his Eagle Scout rank.
"No one really knew about it, including my troop," said Turner, adding that he felt it was a shame, especially considering that it memorializes about the same number of men that would have made up an entire senior class at that time.
"It was a large portion of the population," said Rita Smith Irvin, who was a child when the memorial was dedicated in 1956. "It was quite a shake-up to the community."
Turner Eades stands by the fountain at the World War II Memorial Park containing a plaque listing the names of the 21 men from Signal Mountain who were killed during the war. (Staff photo by Emily Crisman)After decades of neglect, parts of the stone path running through the park had become overgrown and were no longer visible, poison ivy was growing everywhere, and the monument needed to be cleaned. So this summer, Turner gathered about 20 volunteers, most of whom were fellow Scouts, to clear the path and the retaining wall surrounding the park, as well as pressure wash the monument and remove the poison ivy.
The volunteers also spruced up the Harriette Lawson Memorial Garden, planted in the park by local garden club member Harriette Lawson when the park was established. For additional seating they added a 600-pound stone bench, donated by Eleno Martinz of Martinz Family Stone in Dayton, Tenn.
In total, the group spent approximately 124 hours working on the project.
Turner said he had wanted to add a sign to identify the park, though he was prevented by the town's sign ordinance.
"I want people to know what it is when they're using it," he said. "I thought if it got more people out using it, people would keep it up more regularly."
A Scout since he was in first grade, Turner said he knew he wanted to eventually become an Eagle Scout when Marine Phil Johnson spoke to his Cub Scout troop. Turner, who wants to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy, was motivated by Johnson's assertion that in the military, Eagle Scouts are treated with respect - as in, no kitchen patrol duty. His uncle and grandfather also proceeded him in earning scouting's highest honor.
For his Eagle Scout project, Signal Mountain resident Turner Eades refurbished the town's World War II Memorial Park. (Contributed photo)