Photograph of Grieving Gold Star Mother statue at its dedication in Manchester NH during May of 2011. Photograph courtesy of Chris Forkey. Used with permission.
One of Manchester New Hampshire’s more recent statues, and one of the few that honors women, can be found in Stanton Plaza, on the southwest corner of Pleasant Street and Elm, opposite Veterans Park. Called the Grieving Gold Star Mother, it depicts a sorrowful World War II mother with a single tear on her cheek, who had just learned her child had died while in service to their country. She is leaning against a small table that holds a bouquet of flowers and a photograph; her other hand is clutching a telegram that carried the news.
It would be impossible to tell the history of this statue without beginning with a bit of history about its location. The plaza on which the Grieving Gold Star Mother statue now sits was designated between 1985-1987 to honor three time Mayor Charles R. Stanton (served 1970-1971 and 1975-1981) who was also General Manager of the Manchester Transit Authority. Charles R. Stanton died in May 1985 at the age of 56. Continue reading
