A statue in south central Kentucky celebrated a big milestone this weekend.

That Doughboy statue, which stands in the center of downtown Monticello, turned 100 on Saturday.

Doughboy is a nickname for American soldiers who fought in World War One and to the residents of Monticello.

The statue is more than just a downtown fixture.

You talk about Monticello.

The first thing they say is the Doughboy.

Coming back in August, a group of people in the community realized that this 100 year anniversary was coming up and we wanted to do something to commemorate it.

So with lots of different entities involved, we came up with really what I think was pretty good plan and ended up being a real good program because this is being a main fixture in Monticello 400 years.

It's something that those of us who live here see almost daily.

I've been away from Monticello for 20 years.

I come back today just for this.

And every time I come back, I don't go around the bypass.

I don't do any of that.

I come by this man because that is Monticello to me.

He is my soul.

He's protecting us.

And that's what this is all about.

It is a physical presence in hopes of thanking them for what they've done.

You know, you can say it as often as you want to, but when they can look at that and think somebody cared enough to put up a monument.

My great grandfather, Homer Alexander, is commemorated on the doughboy.

His registration card has an X on it.

He couldn't read or write, so he did the X And then, if you'll notice, it says his mark.

And then someone put his name beside of it.

My great grandfather was one of the wounded Homer Alexander on there.

But also there are men that have been killed in World War One.

This is everyone that served in the military, in the armed forces of some type.

He is them and he he is there watching over them.

And every I mean, my brother served.

My dad served.

Their names are not on there, but they recognize who this is and what this is about.

This is about every one of them.

Order of.

Some.

According to the national World War One museum, the term doughboy might originate from American military operations on the Mexican border, when soldiers would find themselves coated in white adobe dust.

Adobe's quickly became known as doughboys, as many were redeployed to Europe during World War One.