CULLMAN, Ala. – The Dripping Springs Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) on Friday, July 3, dedicated a Minuteman statue and memorial at Veterans Memorial Park at Sportsman Lake Park. The event was a celebration of America 250.
The City of Cullman posted, in gratitude, “The monument honors the American Revolutionary War patriots who sacrificed their lives and fortunes for the principles of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity, helping establish a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” Thank you to the Dripping Springs Chapter, NSDAR, for this meaningful contribution to our community and for helping preserve and share the history of those who helped secure the freedoms we enjoy today.”
This reporter’s thoughts:
Imagine waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of loud church bells ringing, drums beating and a rider shouting outside your window: “The British are coming!” What would you do? Pull the covers over your head?
If you lived in America 250 years ago, and you were a Minuteman, you would do something brave. You would jump out of bed, grab your gear and run out the door into the dark — ready to defend your town in just 60 seconds.
The Minutemen didn’t wear fancy uniforms, and they weren’t professional soldiers. They were regular people who decided to protect their families and their freedom.
Today, you can see a statue of a Minuteman holding a rifle in one hand and resting the other hand on a farm plow. It reminds us that America was built by everyday people who were ready to step up when their country needed them most — in just one minute.
And that’s exactly what you’ll see when you wander the grounds of Veterans Memorial Park.
The right hand grips a musket, ready to fight. And the left hand rests upon a plow, showing that he was working the land just moments before the alarm sounded. The coat draped over the plow indicates he shed his civilian life in an instant to answer the call of duty
He is a standing reminder that the Minutemen proved that a community doesn’t need a massive, professional army to be safe. When people trust each other and work as a team, regular citizens can stand up to the biggest forces in the world.
The Dripping Springs Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) on Friday, July 3, 2026, dedicated a Minuteman statue and memorial at Veterans Memorial Park at Sportsman Lake Park in Cullman. (Emily McMunn/The Cullman Tribune)
Roberta McClellan (Emily McMunn/The Cullman Tribune)
Julia Floyd (Emily McMunn/The Cullman Tribune)
Dr. Nancy Horton (Emily McMunn/The Cullman Tribune)
