VFW presentation greets all visitors to local cemetery VFW All Wars Memorial
& Bruce Catton Gravesite
Benzonia Twp Cemetery
Benzonia, Benzie County
To the everlasting memory of the men and women of Benzie County who gave their lives in all wars in the defense of our country."
The memorial erected by the Kenneth C. Evans Post VFW is small, but it is not lacking in the honor it passes to those that served. Along with the dedication to the veterans is a remembrance of a Past VFW State Commander, James L. Milliron.
I sought out this cemetery not only to photograph the VFW memorial, but also to visit the grave of a very special man. It is the final resting place of Bruce Catton, a local author and historian of great repute.
For many Americans the tragedy of the Civil War came to life through the words written by Catton. He lies in the northeast corner of the cemetery, unheralded but for his celebrity among the historians of this nation. When I came into town I asked directions at a local convenience store. The young clerk wasn't quite sure of the location, but asked if I had relatives there. When I replied that I was really looking for the grave of Bruce Catton all I got was a blank stare. Several other patrons in the store were equally clueless. Maybe that's a sign the Civil War really has passed into the realm of textbook history and is of little concern to our younger generations.
If you have the time for a short visit, stand here a moment and realize that Catton's work was simply a reflection of those stories related to him by the elders of his community. He sat with them, listening to their casual conversations and earnest statements of respect for each others actions. He questioned and prodded, and took note of their responses. Much later he compared the recollections of these old veterans, his elder friends, to the already documented facts of the events and blended them into wonderful stories of patriotism, passion, and national tragedy; "Mr. Lincoln's Army", "Glory Road", and "Stillness At Appomattox".
Each war, regardless of venue or outcome, leaves a long trail of such stories for all of us to contemplate as we walk through the graveyards of our nation. With this realization we also appreciate that these memorials to our fallen will also become irrelevant, unless we actively educate our youngsters about the sacrifices they represent.
