VETERANS FIELDHOUSE DEMOLITION Huntington Residents Say Goodbye To Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse
Reported by: Darrah Wilcox
Web Producer: Mamie Buoy
Reported: Jun. 21, 2012 4:35 PM EDT
Updated: Jun. 21, 2012 6:01 PM EDT
Eyewitness News Photo
Huntington
, Cabell County
, West Virginia
The demolition of a Huntington landmark is in its final stages.
The Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse is being torn down to make room for a new soccer field and athletic conference for Marshall University.
There were several bystanders taking pictures and sharing their favorite memories from the fieldhouse. As the last pieces of the Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse come down, dozens are flocking to the historic site to get a few last glimpses and pictures.
Thomas Lampbert says, "It's just a part of history. You'll never see this again."
Jim Crowder says he remembers watching bulldozers on the property more than 60 years ago, and now he's watching it all come down.
"I didn't have the money to go in and watch Marshall basketball, but at half-time, they would let us in for free, so we would go it,"says Crowder. "I'd watch Paul Underwood, the golden boys of Marshall fame. I saw Hal Greer."
There were also boxing events, wrestling matches, and concerts over the years, but time definitely took its toll on the structure of the Fieldhouse, and it was just going to be too much money to do all the repairs needed to fully restore it. Most folks say it's served its purpose, and they'll look forward to make new memories at the new Marshall athletic complex.
Crowder says, "You don't know how fast time flies."
Once the whole structure is down, it will still take a few days to clear the area of all the debris.
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Darrah Wilcox
