Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

ETERNAL FLAME

Date

1966

Materials

STEEL, IRON

No. Pieces

1

Height

79.5

Width

64

Description

STEEL CYLINDRICAL TORCH ATTACHED TO BASE WITH FOUR LEGS; BASE LEGS SPIRAL IN AT FEET AND HAVE HOLES PUNCHED INTO THE BOTTOM OF FEET FOR FIXING TO A BASE. CYLINDRICAL TORCH BOLTED CLOSED ON SIDE WITH OPEN TOP; INSIDE OF TORCH IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR COMPARTMENTS BY STEEL INSERT WITH STEEL SQUARE ON TOP OF INSERT. TORCH HAS IRON PIPE EXTENDING FROM BASE TO FEET; PIPE HAS ILLEGIBLE EMBOSSED TEXT ON SIDE. LEGS AND FEET OF TORCH ARE WORN; PIPE EXTENDING FROM TORCH IS RUSTED; TORCH IS SEVERELY BLACKENED FROM USE; OVERALL VERY GOOD CONDITION.

Subjects

LIGHTING DEVICE

Historical Association

COMMEMORATIVE

MILITARY

History

THE IMMORTAL FLAME MONUMENT WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1966 AT MOUNTAIN VIEW CEMETERY AS A MEMORIAL TO LETHBRIDGE AND DISTRICT VETERANS. THE MONUMENT WAS DEDICATED ON DECEMBER 27, 1966, WITH GUEST RETIRED BRIGADIER GENERAL J.S. STEWART LIGHTING THE TORCH. THE IMMORTAL FLAME WAS CONCEIVED AS A DIAMOND JUBILEE PROJECT BY THE LETHBRIDGE BRANCH [UNIT 34] OF THE ARMY, NAVY, AND AIR FORCE VETERANS IN CANADA AND THE ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION GENERAL STEWART BRANCH NO. 4. A 1967 LETHBRIDGE HERALD ARTICLE NOTED THE PROJECT COST $4,300.00, AND WAS PAID FOR WITH GRANT FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF LETHBRIDGE, PRIVATE DONATIONS, AND FUNDRAISING BY THE ARMY, NAVY, AND AIR FORCE VETERANS AND THE GENERAL STEWART LEGION BRANCH. THE FLAME WAS PLACED IN THE VETERANS SECTION OF MOUNTAIN VIEW CEMETERY AS THE TOP FOR A 6-FOOT TALL MARBLE AND GRANITE MONUMENT WITH A PLAQUE. ACCORDING TO A LETHBRIDGE HERALD ARTICLE FROM MAY 29, 1978, THE IMMORTAL FLAME MONUMENT WAS CONSTRUCTED BY LETHBRIDGE MONUMENTAL. THE GAS-FED FLAME WAS SUSTAINED BY FUNDING FROM THE GENERAL STEWART LEGION BRANCH, THE ARMY, NAVY, AND AIR FORCE VETERANS, AND DONATIONS OF FUEL FROM GAS COMPANIES. THE IMMORTAL FLAME WAS REMOVED FROM MOUNTAIN VIEW CEMETERY IN 2017. AN EMAIL WITH HIROSHI OKUBO, CEMETERY SERVICES MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF LETHBRIDGE, IN DECEMBER 2018 ELABORATES ON THE REMOVAL OF THE IMMORTAL FLAME, “FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS PRIOR TO 2017, THE CITY OF LETHBRIDGE CEMETERY SERVICES AND FACILITY SERVICES WERE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME KEEPING THE IMMORTAL FLAME WORKING DUE TO LIFECYCLE ISSUES (JUST WEAR AND TEAR OF TIME AND PERHAPS THE ORIGINAL DESIGN).” “CEMETERY SERVICES WERE IN DISCUSSION WITH THE LEGION’S GLENN MILLER (SERVICE OFFICER AT THE TIME) TO JOINTLY RENEW/REBUILD [THE IMMORTAL FLAME] DUE TO THE ISSUES WE WERE EXPERIENCING. WITH THE ASSISTANCE FROM CITY FACILITIES, THE LEGION (POPPY FUND GRANT) AND ATCO (WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE CITY MANAGER) WHO BECAME A PART OF THE PROJECT AND WHO DESIGNED THE NEW TORCH, ALL CAME TOGETHER TO REBUILD THE IMMORTAL FLAME.” ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2017 AT MOUNTAI VIEW CEMETERY, A NEW IMMORTAL FLAME WAS RE-DEDICATED. REPRESENTATIVES AT THE CEREMONY INCLUDED CITY OF LETHBRIDGE MAYOR CHRIS SPEARMAN, MLA DAVID SCHNEIDER, AND ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION GENERAL STEWART BRANCH NO. 4 PRESIDENT KENT PERRY. FOR MORE INFORMATION INCLUDING COPIES OF LETHBRIDGE HERALD ARTICLES ON THE IMMORTAL FLAME AND MATERIALS ON THE RE-DEDICATION OF THE IMMORTAL FLAME IN 2017, COURTESY OF HIROSHI OKUBO, PLEASE SEE THE PERMANENT FILE P20170036000-GA.

Catalogue Number

P20170036000

Acquisition Date

2017-05

Collection

Museum

Less detail