(Photo courtesy of Washington State Library)

This Veterans Day, take a minute to explore the lives of the courageous soldiers who fought for our country nearly 100 years ago.

The Washington State Library and Washington State Archives proudly present a special collection from the Spokane Public Library and the Office of the Secretary of State titled, World War I: Soldiers Remembered.

In this collection, trials and triumphs of Washington’s soldiers are revealed through letters, records and photographs.

For instance, Sol Dolbriner fought in the Spanish-American War and World War I. Samuel Austin left Spokane for Fort Lewis in 1917, then served overseas until he was wounded twice in the line of fire. Frank Taylor, a former member of the National Guard, was wounded by machine gun fire during the Meuse-Argonne offensive. Photos and facts from these soldiers’ lives are featured under the “Profiles” section of the site. Scroll through the documents and you’ll learn plenty about the three brave men from Spokane County.

The site also features Army art from World War I and selected photos from the American armies and battlefields in Europe.  Highly detailed maps from the three major campaigns outline where and when American soldiers fought in the “Maps” section of the World War I: Soldiers Remember site.

Still want to find out more about Washington’s World War I soldiers? If an ancestor or someone you know served in the First World War and resided in Spokane County, check out the “Service Records” tab on the webpage. There you can search the name of whomever then browse records, photos and documents from their time served during the war.