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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Road Cams Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend January 31, 2007 Click image for larger view Construction worker Brett Brenner was surprised when he dug up this long- forgotten monument at First Christian Church in Medford. (Mail Tribune / Jim Craven) FORGOTTEN MONUMENT Construction crew digs up a plaque buried for 40 years honoring former church members By paul fattig Mail Tribune Brett Brenner didn't know what on earth he had unearthed in the construction site outside the First Christian Church in Medford. Under the dirt was a 1966 plaque in memory of Robert King Breece, the son of former church members George and Nellie Breece. It was attached to a heavy block of polished granite. "It was in my bucket so I dug it up," said the heavy equipment excavator for Robertson, Hay & Wallace, a Portland-based construction firm. "It was buried under a second set of curbing that had been installed on top of it," he added. "It's the most unusual thing I've ever found." The firm began working on the project at Crater Lake Avenue and Brookhurst Street a month ago, replacing a 70-foot cross erected in January 1963 with a cross-shaped cell tower. The granite monument was found shortly after construction began. Advertisement "There was an extruded curb making a planter bed around the cross," explained Scott Leonard, field supervisor for the firm. "We had to take that out in order to prep for our work. We found another curb about a foot and a half down. This monument was parked right in front of it, facing the driveway." No one in the church, whose original members first began meeting in 1884, making it the oldest in Medford, recalled ever having seeing the monument. "I've been here ten years and have never even heard of a memorial plaque out there," said Jennifer Cooper, the church's business administrator. But she said the monument will be a welcome addition to the church's nearby Memorial Garden, which contains the cremated remains of several of its past members. George and Nellie Breece, both ordained ministers, were members of the church. A history buff, Leonard has learned that the current church building, which opened in summer 1963, was added onto in the late 1970s. He believes that could have been when the monument was covered up. "I figured there is a living Breece out there somewhere who would like to see this," said Leonard, who contacted the Talent Historical Society to see if any family members lived in the area. Jan Wright, the group's director, worked with the Rogue Valley Genealogical Society to dig up some information on the Breece family. George Breece died in 1976; his wife died a decade later. Their son was a civil engineer who died in Sacramento in 1965 at age 41, Wright determined. "This illustrates how easily history can be forgotten," Wright said. "We occasionally get calls about tombstones that have been found but this is unusual. There are so few of these types of monuments around. There's probably only a few scattered here and there." Meanwhile, Leonard, who has been a construction worker for more than two decades, is happy the monument has been rediscovered. "This was one of the more pleasant things you could find when you're excavating," he said. "I haven't found much before, other than the family pet." Reach reporter Paul Fattig at 776-4496 or e-mail him at [email protected] . Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Online poker at AbsolutePoker.com Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Casinos Canada Cord Blood Banking Entertainment Guide Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Windermere Van Vleet Trunks, Footlocker Men's Clothing Debt Help