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MEMORIAL
BENCH PROJECT -
John Trussell, NSSAR Bench Chair, Jeff Thomas, America 250 Committee
Chair;
David Chaffin, History Committee Chair
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The
Memorial Bench Project was rolled out in March of 2022 by
the
NSSAR
History 250 Committee with the goal of placing at least one
Bench
in each state on or before July 4, 2026. We feel with by a
SAR
250th
Anniversary Bench that it will help educate the public of
the
importance
of the American Revolution and the sacrifices that were
made to
become our nation. Benches can be engraved with a 250th
message,
or a Custom message that is site specific.
Four Easy Steps to success:
Step 1 - Choose a Site and Contact the NSSAR Bench Chair
Step 2 - Select a Monument Company for Granite Bench
Step 3 - Secure the Required local site approvals
Step 4 - Partner and Raise the Required funds
WE NEED YOUR HELP to place a Memorial Bench in your
area of the country in order to achieve our goal of
one Bench
in every state by July 4, 2026.
For assistance and guidance please contact:
John Trussell, NSSAR Bench Chair, Cell: 478-957-7411, email:
jtrusswr@cox.net
Jeff Thomas, NSSAR Historian General, email:
jthomas4sar@gmail.com
Rick Reese, Jr. NSSAR Bench Webmaster,
email: RickReese68@Att.net
The cost of a Bench is about $1600.
One way to offset that cost is to have a sponsor
for each Bench and award that person with a certificate of
thanks. |
PROJECT
GOAL:
States with Benches so far = 16
| Number
of Benches: |
28 |
As
of : |
|
|
250th
Anniversary Memorial Benches |
 |
|
States
with Memorial Benches installed = 16
CT, FL, GA, IN, KS, KY, MD, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX,
VA, WA, WV |
|
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| |
| BENCHES
INSTALLED |
| |
| Society |
Location |
Dedication
Date |
Sponsor |
| TN/GA |
Andrew
Jackson's Hermitage |
03/13/22 |
Tennessee
and Georgia SAR |
| GA |
Battle
of Savannah |
07/13/22 |
Georgia
SAR |
| GA |
Johnson
Square |
07/14/22 |
Georgia
SAR |
| FL |
Brevard
Veterans Memorial Center Park |
07/19/23 |
Florida
SAR |
| KY |
Trigg County
Justice Center - Cadiz, KY |
11/05/23 |
Stephen
Trigg Chapter |
| GA |
Captain
John Collins Chapter GASSAR, Mars Hill Cemetery - Acworth, GA |
03-15-2025 |
|
| RI |
Major General
Nathanael Green Homestead in Coventry, RI |
04/20/24 |
Rhode Island
SAR |
| SC |
Camden,
SC, Revolutionary War Visitor's Center |
04/20/24 |
South Carolina
SAR |
| WA |
Ocean Shores
Veterans Park |
04/24/24 |
Washington
SAR |
| IN |
American
Legion Mall in front of Indiana War Memorial |
04/27/24 |
Clarence
A. Cook Chapter |
| PA/MD |
Valley
Forge Chapel @ Annual Congress |
07/11/24 |
Pennsylvania
and Maryland SAR |
| PA |
York Colonial
Village @ Annual Congress |
07/11/24 |
Pennsylvania
SAR |
| WV |
North House
Museum, Lewisburg, WV |
09/07/24 |
Greenbrier
Chapter |
| IN |
Madison,
IN (At John Paul Park) |
09/07/24 |
Clifty
Creek Chapter |
| KS |
State Fairgrounds
- Hutchinson, KS |
09/12/24 |
Sons of
the Plains Chapter |
| WV |
Post 32
American Legion Cemetery |
02/17/25
|
John Beckley
Chapter |
| TX |
Humble
City Museum |
03/1/25
|
PineyWoods
Chapter 51 |
| SC |
Beaufort
Waterfront Park, Governor Paul Hamilton Chapter SAR |
03/18/25 |
Governor
Paul Hamilton Chapter |
| SC |
Beaufort
Waterfont Park, The Thomas Heyward, Jr. Chapter DAR |
03/18/25 |
The Thomas
Heyward, Jr. Chapter DAR |
| KY |
McConnell
Springs, Lexington, KY, LaFayette Chapter, SAR |
05/30/25 |
Lafayetta
Chapter KYSSAR |
| KY |
Pike County
Courthouse, Division Street, Pikeville, Kentucky |
07-12-2025 |
Big Sandy
Chapter KYSSAR |
| CT |
Fort Griswold
Battlefield State Park, Groton, CT |
07-13-2025 |
CTSSAR
and The Connecticut Line CTSSAR participtes |
| CT |
War Office,
Lebanon, CT |
07-17-2025 |
CTSSAR
and The Connecticut Line CTSSAR participates |
| WA |
Lake View
Cemetery, Seattle, WA |
04-19-2025 |
|
| KY |
Freeman
Lake Park, Elizabethtown, KY |
08-09-2025
|
Col. John
Hardin chapter in Kentucky dedicated their 250th Anniversary
Bench this morning. It is in Freeman Lake Park in Elizabethtown,
KY. |
| VA |
Warren
County, VA, in honor of Dr. Joseph Warren |
06-12-2025 |
Col. James
Wood II Chapter |
| KY |
Prospect,
KY |
08-02-2025 |
Gov. Isaac
Shelby Chapter KYSSAR in Prospect, KY |
| OK |
Folds of
Honor, Owasso, OK |
08-23-2025 |
SAR 250
Bench Dedication Ceremony at Folds of Honor, Owasso, OK. Part
of the SCD Annual Meeting. |
| |
|
|
|
| KY |
Big Sandy
Chapter KYSSAR, Freedom Park, 182 E. Main Street, Morehead,
KY |
09-20-2025
upcoming |
Big Sandy
Chapter |
| GA |
Mars Hill
Cemetery in Acworth, GA |
09-17-2025
Upcoming |
Captain
John Collins Chapter |
| State |
Location |
Date |
|
©2025
Piedmont Chapter Sons of the American Revolution
| Location |
City/State |
Date |
Description |
| Andrew
Jackson's Hermitage |
Nashville,
TN |
3/13/2022 |
The
TNSSAR and the GASSAR Color Guard joined forces in a ceremony
to dedicate a 250th Anniversary Bench at Andrew Jackson's
home...The Hermitage.
|
| Johnson
Square |
Savannah,
GA |
7/14/2022 |
During
the 133rd Annual NSSAR Congress held in Savannah, GA a 250th
Anniversary SAR Bench was placed and dedicated in the center
of Savannah in Johnson Square Park.
|
| Battle
of Savannah |
Savannah,
GA |
7-13-2022 |
During
the 133rd NSSAR Congress held in Savannah, GA another 250th
Anniversary SAR Bench was placed and dedicated in Savannah's
Tricentennial Park.
|
| Valley
Forge Memorial Chapel |
Valley
Forge, PA |
7/11/2024 |
During
the 134th NSSAR Annual Congress held in Lancaster, PA another
250th Anniversary SAR Bench was placed and dedicated at
The Valley Forge Memorial Chapel.
|
| Ocean
Shores Veterans Park |
Tacoma,
WA |
4-24-24 |
The
Washington State Society dedicated a 250th Anniversay Bench
at the Ocean Shores Veterans Park in Tacoma, WA
|
| State
Fairgrounds |
Hutchinson,
KS |
9-12-24 |
The Sons
of the Plains Chapter KS Society SAR dedicated a 250th Anniversay
Bench at the State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, KS.
|
| MG Nathanael
Greene Homestead |
Coventry,
RI |
4/320/24 |
The
Rhode Island Society SAR dedicated a 250th Anniversary Bench
at the MG Nathanael Greene Homestead in Coventry, RI.
|
| North
House Museum |
Lewisberg,
WV |
9-7-24 |
The Sons
of the American Revolution hosted a ceremony dedicating a
memorial stone bench in honor of the 250th anniversary of
the founding of the United States of America at the North
House Museum in Lewisburg on Sept. 7.
The
Greenbrier Valley Chapter of the West Virginia Society Sons
of the American Revolution President Rhendal C. Butler was
present, and there was an evocation by Rev. Ron Miller,
the posting of the colors by General Hugh Mercer Chapter
(Kevin Pruitt and Son, Greenbrier East High School ROTC),
followed by the SAR Pledge and NSSAR Mission Statement.
Sarah
Emch spoke on the march from Lewisburg to Point Pleasant.
Sponsors
included the Greenbrier County Historical Society, NSSAR
George Washington Endowment Fund, Lobban Funeral Home, Rhendal
C. Butler, James A. Talbert, and Tom A. Johnson.
National
Society Sons of the American Revolution on www.sar.org.
West
Virginia Society of the American Revolution ww.wvssar.org.
|
| Post
32 American Legion Cemetery |
Beckley,
WV |
2-17-25 |
On
this Presidents Day 2025, The Captain James Chapter of the
National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution
and the John Beckley Chapter of the WV Society Sons of the
American Revolution dedicated a memorial granite bench in
honor of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United
States of America at the Post 32 American Legion Cemetery.
|
| American
Legion Mall |
Indianapolis,
IN |
4/27/2025 |
The
Clarence A. Cook Chapter of the Indiana SAR installed a
250th Anniversary Bench in downtown Indianapolis at the
American Legion Mall in front of the Indiana War Memorial
(pictured in the background).
|
| Trigg
County Justice Center |
Cadiz,
KY |
11/06/2023 |
On
November 6, 2023 the members of the Stephen Trigg Chapter
of the KYSSAR dedicated a 250th Anniversary bench at the
Trigg County Justice Center.
|
| Beaufort
Waterfront Park |
Beaufort,
SC |
03/18/2025 |
On
March 18, 2025 the members of the Governor Paul Hamilton
Chapter of the SCSSAR dedicated a 250th Anniversary bench
at the Beaufort Waterfont Park.
|
| Beaufort
Waterfront Park |
Beaufort,
SC |
03/18/2025 |
On
March 18, 2025 the members of the Thomas Heyward Jr. Chapter
of the SCNSDAR dedicated a 250th Anniversary bench at the
Beaufort Waterfont Park.
|
| Humble
City Museum |
Humble,
TX |
03-01-2025
|
|
| McConnell
Springs |
Lexington,
KY |
05-30-2025 |
Two and
a half years ago I started the McConnell Springs 250th project.
Yesterday we were finally able to dedicate the Bench in Honor
of the Founding of Lexington in June of 1775 at McConnell
Springs by Patriots. Patrick
McMurchie - KYSSAR 250th Chairman and Vice President, Mayor
Linda Gorton - Mayor of Lexington KY, Steve Gahafer - Lafayette
Chapter - KYSSAR President.
Huge
Thanks to West KY Memorials, LLC!!
|
| Pike
County Courthouse |
Pikeville,
KY |
07-12-2025 |
Below
is Kentucky Societies latest 250th Bench, the Big Sandy Chapter
dedicated this bench on July 12, 2025 in Pikeville, KY at
the Pike County Courthouse.
 |
| Fort
Griswold Battlefield State Park |
Groton,
CT |
07-13-2025 |
The
Connecticut SAR dedicated 2 SAR 250th Anniversary Memorial
Benches during the 135th SAR Congress at Mohegan Sun. SAR
President General Darryl Addington attended both bench dedication
ceremonies during the Congress.
|
| War Office |
Lebanon,
CT |
07-17-2025 |
The
Connecticut SAR dedicated 2 SAR 250th Anniversary Memorial
Benches during the 135th SAR Congress at Mohegan Sun. SAR
President General Darryl Addington attended both bench dedication
ceremonies during the Congress.
|
| Lake
View Cemetery |
Seattle,
WA |
04-19-2025 |
On April
19, 2025 at the Lake View Cemetery in Seattle, the Seattle
Chapter hosted a Grave marking ceremony to honor the First
Washington State SAR President, Simon Winfield Scott. A memorial
bench was place at the gravesite in collaboration with the
Cemetery. Seven other WASSAR presidents, also buried at Lake
View are identified on the Bench. The Color Guard along with
the Fife and Drum presented the colors. Compatriot Granberg
(SE) conducted the ceremony which was followed by a Wreath
Laying ceremony that included NSSAR Librarian General, Keith
Weissinger, Washington State Color Guard, SAR and DAR chapters.
More than 40 participated in the ceremony.
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| Freeman
Lake Park |
Elizabethtown,
KY |
8/09/2025 |
Col.
John Hardin Chapter in Kentucky dedicated their 250th Anniversary
Bench this morning. It is in Freeman Lake Park in Elizabethtown,
KY.
|
| Prospect
Park |
Prospect,
KY |
8/02/2025 |
Today
the Gov. Isaac Shelby Chapter (KYSSAR) installed a bench
in Prospect, KY. Attached are some photos.
|
| Folds
orf Honor |
Owasso,
OK |
8/23/2025 |
Spent
a great weekend with the Compatriots of the SCD. These pics
are from the Business Meeting, led by VPG Phil Hunt of Oklahoma.
The Presidents of Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas,
and Texas (MOKAT) reported on their states' activities.
|
| Winchester |
Warren
County, VA |
6/12/2025 |
The
Col. James Wood II chapter took place on June 12, 2025.
Jeff Thomas attended that one and has attached a photo of
the bench.
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| Location |
City,
State |
Date |
Details
and images |
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