Gale Park was the original site of the Ayer House, built in 1712 by Captain Samuel Ayer. In 1872, it was sold to the Haverhill Children's Aid Society and became the Children's Home (an orphanage). In 1884, the orphanage was moved to the Gale Building, and the Ayer house was torn down in 1891. After the demolition, this area became Gale Park. Three memorials honoring men and women for their service are located in this small park.
The Hiker
The Hiker is a bronze statue created by Theodora Alice Ruggles Kitson. It commemorates the American soldiers who fought in the Spanish-American War, the Boxer Rebellion, and the Philippine-American War. The first version was made for the University of Minnesota in 1906, but at least 50 copies were produced and erected across the United States. The Hiker depicts a hero stripped of his parade uniform and shown as a soldier reacting to the challenges of the battlefield.
The monument was erected and dedicated on October 24, 1926, by the City of Haverhill. It collectively honors the men who served in the Spanish-American War (1898), those who served in the China Relief Expedition (Boxer Rebellion, 1898-1902), and those who fought in the Philippine Insurrection (Philippine-American War, 1899-1902). The monument features a soldier in period dress set upon a granite block/obelisk. The four sides of the base each have a plaque with additional information, including the names of those who gave their lives in service to their country. Action in the Philippines produced the most battle casualties among those listed; however, disease was actually the biggest killer overall. Originally, the monument was located between Winter, How, and Emerson Streets across from where Bradford Seafood is now.
World War I Memorial
Several attempts were made to build a memorial honoring those who served their country in World War I. Initially, the city wanted to honor the veterans by giving scholarships to graduating seniors at Haverhill and St. James High Schools. The Haverhill Gazette wanted to build a pool and dedicate it to their services. Both ideas were rejected by the veterans. A compromise was reached when the veterans and the city agreed to refurbish Tilton Tower and designate it as the city's World War I monument. Over $100,000 was allocated for the project, and plans were drawn up for the memorial. However, before work could begin, the Stock Market Crash of 1929 struck, putting the project in limbo.
In 1956, after over a quarter of a century of debate, the Haverhill War Memorial Commission finally decided to erect a monument. After considering four sites, the monument's location was narrowed down to either GAR or Gale Park. Eight potential designs were submitted to the War Memorial Commission. The Atwood memorial plan, whose preliminary drawings proposed a semi-circular design with six pillars, three on each side of a broader center section, caught the eyes of the commission and the veterans committee and was selected. The memorial was paid for by refunds to the city of unused bonus money that the state legislature had voted for the veterans. The base of the flagpole lists the men from Haverhill who served in the conflict, including the 104 names of those who died during the war.
Women Veterans Memorial
The third memorial at Gale Park was erected to honor our nation's women veterans. The black marble monument was unveiled during a dedication ceremony on September 20, 1999. It features seven engravings: five representing the branches of the Armed Forces, an eternal flame of remembrance, and the portrait of a woman in a World War II military uniform.
In contrast to most of the city's memorials, which often took years of debate and argument before finally being built, the Women Veterans Memorial was erected in less than a year's time from the moment the idea was first proposed. It is also unique in that it is not restricted to honoring veterans of a specific conflict or time frame; it also honors those currently serving.
Source: Auger, Michael. Tour the War Monuments of Haverhill, Massachusetts. Haverhill, Massachusetts. Buttonwoods Museum.
Logging Requirements:
Send the answers to #1-5 to me via my geocaching profile, and post the required photo in your log. PLEASE DO NOT post the answers to any logging requirements within your log or post information required to answer questions in any pictures.
#1. The Honor Roll provides a list of casualties from the Spanish-American War, Philippine-American War, and Boxer Rebellion. Some surnames appear multiple times. What are the surnames that appear three times? There are ten in total that you should provide.
#2. When the Women Veterans Memorial was dedicated, who was the president and of what organization?
#3. Who is the fountain dedicated to, and when was it dedicated? It is dedicated to more than one group, provide them all.
#4. When was the World War I Memorial dedicated?
#5. Who is the third name listed on the War Memorial Commission?
#6. Post a picture of yourself and/or a personal item that shows you are at Gale Park. PLEASE DO NOT show any of the pertinent information for the other logging requirements in your picture, or your log may be deleted.
Logs without submission of the requested information, missing or incorrect information are subject to deletion.
Virtual Rewards 5.0 - 2026-2027
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between February 3, 2026 and February 3, 2027. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 5.0 on the Geocaching Blog.