Middleborough American Legion Memorial Rotary Circle Enacted By State Legislature

Legion members of Simeon L. Nickerson, Post 64, American Legion were honored by the Massachusetts Legislature when on April 9, 1962, the State Senate and the House of Representatives authorized designation of the rotary circle in town as the “Middleborough American Legion Memorial Circle.” The rotary circle is located at the intersection of Routes 28 and 18 on Route 44.

Under Chapter 325 of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the act included the rotary and many of the bridges in town to be dedicated to war casualties.
“Suitable markers bearing said designations shall be erected on said bridges and at said circle by the Department of Public Works,” according to the language of Chapter 325.

Both legislative branches approved the Chapter on April 5, 1962 with William H. Finnegan, Acting Speaker of the House of Representatives, enacted the Act with his signature. Maurice A. Donahue, serving as Acting President of the State Senate, also signed the Chapter.
....................................... GOVERNOR JOHN A. VOLPE SIGNS
Governor John A. Volpe signed 325 Chapter into law on April 9, 1962 at exactly 2 o’clock and 58 minutes P.M.

The Chapter was written in two sections. The first section incorporated the designated locations for each bridge honoring the memory of a war casualty and the site of the “Middleborough American Legion Memorial Circle.”

It reads: “Section One:-The following bridges and rotary circle in the town of Middleborough shall be designated as follows:- The Tri-level bridge on state highway Route 25 over South Main street, and over the New York, New Haven and Hartford tracks, The Middleborough Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Bridge; the bridge at Harding street over said Route 25, the P.F.C. Albert B. Lang, Memorial Bridge; the bridge on state highway Route 18 over said Route 25, The Seaman 1st Class Leonard W. MacDonald Memorial Bridge.

The bridge on said Route 25 over the New York, New Haven and Hartford tracks, the Lt. Robert A. Crozier Bridge; the bridge on said Route 25 over Nemasket River, the Pvt. Vernon A. Porter Memorial Bridge; the bridge on Wood street over said Route 25, the Pvt. Earl L. Casey Memorial Bridge; the bridge on Cherry street over said Route 25, the Pvt. Harry C. Martins Memorial Bridge.

And, the bridge on Miller street over said Route 25, the P.F.C. Vincent A. Galfre Memorial Bridge; the bridge on said Route 25 over state highway Route 28, the Sgt. Robert B. Stuart Memorial Bridge; the rotary circle at the intersection of said Route 28 and said Route 18, the Middleborough American Legion Memorial Circle.

Section 2: Reads:-This act shall take effect upon its passage.
..................... (Compiled By Bob Lessard Post Historian 2014)