Called the “Great War” and once hailed as the “war to end all wars,” World War I was followed by even deadlier conflicts. Although overshadowed today by World War II, its effects shaped the 20th century – and its memory endures in hundreds of monuments across Illinois, including dozens in this region.

Crystal Lake honors William Chandler Peterson, a 23-year-old architect and native son killed in June 1918 during the Battle of Chateau-Thierry. Two memorials commemorate him: a plaque at Husmann Elementary School on West Paddock Street and his striking headstone in Union Cemetery on West Woodstock Street.

In Joliet , St. John the Baptist Catholic Church remembers eight parishioners who died in the war. The city also features the Doughboy statue at Joliet Central High School , honoring

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