Old County Courthouse - A typical 'town square' makes a great setting Cleveland County Honor Rolls & UDC Monument
Old County Courthouse
Shelby, Cleveland County
1917-1919:
"Honoring those from Cleveland County, who served in the World War and the following who made the
supreme sacrifice . . . "
1941-1945:
"In honor of the men and women who served from Cleveland County, and in grateful memory from a grateful
people, of those who gave their lives in World War II."
Korea-VietNam:
"In honor of the men who served from Cleveland County, and in grateful memory for a grateful
people, of those who gave their lives in the Korean and VietNam Wars."
This is a very nice set of presentations. The surroundings of downtown Shelby don't seem to interfere much with a contemplative visit. The old courthouse has been turned into a museum and makes a picturesque backdrop.
The bronze honor roll listings only show the losses of four wars, from World War I through VietNam. These 260 names show that Cleveland County has often grieved during times of conflict. At least twenty families of the county have lost two or more in the various wars. Two families, the Davis and the Ellis families, each gave four of its' sons to the second World War. It can't be assumed that all were brothers, for that would be especially rare, though not unknown. But we can presume with reasonable certainly that these men were probably cousins.
