Officials have begun a fundraising effort to renovate and maintain the 97-year-old Wayside Cross in Towson, a monument to Baltimore County residents who died serving the United States in World War I.

This month marks the 100th anniversary of America’s entrance into the war.

The Baltimore County Monument Commission’s goal is to raise $50,000 for restoration and maintenance of the memorial.

The cross, near the traffic circle in downtown Towson, has been a gathering place for Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies.

The monument’s granite needs to be repointed, according to commission chairman Mike Lawlor, to prevent water from seeping in, freezing and expanding, further damaging the monument.

The poles and chains that surround the monument are rusting, Lawlor said, and lights designed to illuminate the cross don’t work. In addition, two flagpoles flanking the cross aren’t illuminated, he said.

The commission doesn’t have firm estimates for the repair costs. Lawlor said he believes the repairs will cost between $10,000 and $30,000. The remainder of the $50,000 would go toward maintenance of the monument, as well as other monuments in the county.

Commission member John Ruffer, a former Marine, said the restoration is important to him as a sign of respect for military members who served during World War I.

Another commission member and former Marine, Daryl Reese, said that “it’s important for history to be passed on to our future generations.”

The Wayside Cross was erected in 1920 and dedicated on Defenders Day, Sept. 12, in 1921, according to the Maryland Historical Trust. A capsule summary sheet, which describes the history and significance of the cross, says the monument was presented to county commissioners by a memorial committee during the dedication.

The names of 204 people appear on three bronze plaques, along with a fourth plaque that bears an inscription.

“To the sacred sons and daughters of Baltimore County, who dying for their country in the World War gave proof undying of patriotism supreme, this symbol of love victorious in death is dedicated by their fellow citizens,” the inscription reads. Below the inscription is a phrase from the Bible: “Greater love than this hath no man.”

rpacella@baltsun.com