Newport News Victory Arch facts for kids

The Newport News Victory Arch is a special monument in Newport News, Virginia. It was first built in 1919 and then rebuilt in 1962. The Victory Arch was made to remember and honor the brave people who served in the American armed forces during times of war. You can find it on 25th Street and West Avenue in downtown Newport News, close to the Jessie M. Rattley Municipal Center.

Building the Arch

Newport News was a very important place during World War I. It was a "Port of Embarkation," meaning it was where many American soldiers left from to go to war. After the war ended, almost half a million American troops were expected to return home through the city's ports. People really wanted to build an arch, just like other cities were doing.

At first, many hoped to build a strong, permanent arch. But soldiers were returning so quickly that there wasn't enough time. So, they decided to build a temporary arch and plan for a permanent one later.

Money for the arch came from "public subscription drives," which means people donated money. Work on the arch started fast. The first arch was hollow. It had a frame made of brick and wood, with stucco (a type of plaster) on the outside. Volunteers helped a lot, and the arch was finished in April 1919.

As troops came back to America, they marched under the arch. At first, not many people were there to greet them. But with help from the city's Welcome Home Committee, soon every ship full of soldiers was met by a big crowd of local citizens.

A Temporary Arch That Lasted

The arch built in 1919 was only supposed to last about two years. That was how long they thought it would take for all the soldiers to return. But this temporary arch ended up standing for over forty years! During that time, the City Council of Newport News spent about seven thousand dollars to keep it in good shape. That was more money than it cost to build it originally.

Even though Newport News was a port for soldiers again during World War II, the returning troops did not march under the arch. This was partly because the arch was old and not very strong.

The arch also faced problems as the city grew around it. The area became busy with shops and businesses. At one point, each side of the arch was on the property of a different gas station. Pieces of stucco sometimes fell off, and the traffic around the arch made it a dangerous "blind spot" for drivers. Parts of the structure even started to fall apart because they were rotting.

Creating a Permanent Monument

People started asking for a new, permanent arch almost right away. They tried to get money from the government to build it, but it didn't work out. A group of veterans and volunteers started planning to raise money. Some people in the community worried that they were trying to replace an old monument that wasn't useful anymore. They thought a park, a community center, a school, or a hospital would be more helpful for the city.

Despite these concerns, enough money was collected to build the new arch. This time, it was made of strong stone. The new arch was officially opened again on May 30, 1962.

On Memorial Day in 1969, the American Legion donated an eternal flame to the arch site. This flame stands fourteen feet high under the arch. It was made of bronze by Womack Foundry, Inc., a company in Newport News, in the 1960s. The founder and president of the Foundry, Ernest D. Womack, hand-crafted it.