​Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church versus Italy

Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church in Whitesburg, KY is an unlikely site for a World War II battle, but according to legend, one took place there. The church was built by skilled Italian masons. To honor the country of their fathers and their birthright, the masons incorporated into the facade of the church, just below the plaque, a large stone in the shape of a boot to represent Italy. When World War II rolled around and the United States found itself on the opposite side from Italy, that boot became a source of much angst on the part of the congregants, according to local legend. As in the war, the American side prevailed in the local battle. The boot was disguised by breaking it into half a dozen separate stones. But the boot shape is still very identifiable, as the photo to the left shows, and is now the source of some pride in the community.

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