Rock of Ages views each contract to create a memorial as a sacred trust, a commitment to depict in stone a family's devotion to a cherished loved one. Every Rock of Ages family marker, memorial and mausoleum is crafted in accordance with this ideal. Each Rock of Ages civic memorial reflects an extension of this mission, the artistic portrayal and preservation in stone of the hallowed memories of an organization, a community or a nation.

It would be impossible to relate the countless stories behind the many thousands of family and civic memorials Rock of Ages designs, builds and installs each year, but here are a few recent examples of the many civic memorials that have been entrusted to Rock of Ages' care:

Towering thirty feet high with outstretched arms that cover a ten-foot span stands the world's largest statue of Pope John Paul II. Commissioned by the National Shrine of Our Lady at Czestochowa, a Polish Monastery in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, this impressive 120-ton Rock of Ages' Sealmark granite statue was lovingly carved by Rock of Ages' master sculptor Stanislaw Lutostanski.

Carl Stotz, the founder of Little League, was honored with a memorial statue unveiled at the Little League World Series in 2002. The Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania first conceived of the idea to honor Stotz and his Little League legacy in 1999. Master sculptor John Hanna meticulously carved the statue from a premium block of world-famous Rock of Ages blue-gray granite.

Funding for the project was provided entirely by the Pennsylvania Masons, whose leaders were on hand to dedicate the memorial, as well as President George W. Bush who attended the World Series.

For their 40th reunion, the West Point Class of 1961 honored members of the Class of 1861, who gave their lives in the Civil War, and 1961 class members who died serving America. The plaza's 18 markers were cut and etched by Rock of Ages from jet black granite.

The memorial consists of a main dedication monument flanked by two slant-top memorials, listing the members of the classes being honored. An additional fifteen memorials, located between the south end and the north end, depict a series of historic events that led to the Nation's reconciliation after the Civil War.

Rock of Ages was awarded the contract by New England Stone, LLC to create the Atlantic and Pacific Memorial Arches for the National World War II Memorial.

Each arch is twenty-three feet wide and forty-eight feet high and weighs approximately 700 tons, and includes a balcony cut from an over-sized block of granite twelve feet long, six feet high and eight feet wide. At sixty tons each, these are the largest pieces in the memorial.

Rock of Ages complete civic memorial services

Clearly, any group or organization wishing to build a memorial has a lot of decisions to make! From design to dedication, Rock of Ages can help.

Our civic memorial experts are well-versed in every aspect of the process: everything from planning and budgeting to fundraising and publicity. We can help you decide where to locate your memorial, how to approach local zoning boards, how to build community support and how to generate donations to fund your project.

And most importantly, Rock of Ages is uniquely positioned to design and build a memorial your community will be proud of for generations to come.