The fate of a plaque honoring World War I veterans that used to hang on Liberty Bridge was the main topic of Tuesday's Historic Preservation Commission meeting.
Before Liberty Bridge, which used to sit over Stinson Creek, was demolished to make way for a roundabout, the plaque and some railing and spindle that supported it was preserved. Commission members discussed the possibility of putting the plaque in the center of the new roundabout. However, this idea was discarded as it was deemed an unsafe place for pedestrians to visit.
During the meeting, Les Hudson, Fulton code enforcement officer, suggested the plaque be mounted somewhere near the other WWI monuments in Memorial Field. David McDaniel agreed that this sounded feasible, and the commission decided to suggest this to Fulton City Council.
The bridge plaque states it is "dedicated to the 900 soldiers, sailors and marines of Callaway County, Missouri who served their country in the World War of 1914 to 1918."
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It also reads that it was "erected by their grateful fellow citizens in the year 1920."
Liberty Bridge and the bridge over Route O were both demolished by the Missouri Department of Transportation as part of the roundabout construction. The bridges were no longer needed when a large concrete culvert was constructed to carry water from Stinson Creek under the new roundabout.
In old business, the commission discussed the situation with the Rock Barn that sits near the Fulton State Hospital on Route O. Dale Lewis, commission member, is pursuing putting the issue on the state legislative agenda for 2011. However, before that can be accomplished, the city must get a legal description of the property. Member David McDaniel is working on getting that accomplished. If the city doesn't obtain ownership of the 13 acres where the barn sits, Lewis said it will be bulldozed by the state and used as a storage space for future hospital construction.
"We hate to see that happen," Lewis said.
The commission voted to cancel December's meeting due to the holidays, so the next meeting will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 18.
(Editor's note: Fulton Sun reporter Don Norfleet contributed to this report.)