If you’ve never been to Charleston, WV, I would encourage a visit. The people are particularly friendly, and the state capitol is gorgeous. It is a beautiful domed structure reminiscent of the national capitol building in Washington. The grounds are very nice as well. Large open green spaces with large trees surround the building and the front opens to a grand view of the Kanawah River (pronounced can-aw-uh). In addition to the capitol building itself, numerous other less notable state office building dot the site. One exception is the West Virginia Cultural Center which is a lovely museum of all manner of Mountain State things. There are several statues and memorials on the grounds. Today’s post is the West Virginia Veterans Memorial which is located on the northwest side of the complex. A circular formation surrounded by water, the memorial honors West Virginians who served in four of the U.S. wars of the 20th Century: World War I, World War II, and the Korean and Vietnam Wars. The limestone edifice is split into quarters, the outside of which denotes a branch of the military with bronze statues of World War I soldier, a World War II sailor, a Korean War airman, and a Vietnam War Marine. Inside, individual black granite walls are etched with the names of the more than 10,300 West Virginians who were killed those wars.
The monument and the statues are the work of Charleston native P. Joseph Mullins. His design was chosen in a competition in 1987. Although it is located on the capitol grounds, the project began as a private affair. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on June 22, 1990, but construction was very slow due to funding. The state stepped in to help in 1994 by appropriating a portion of the state lottery fund. The limestone and granite portions of the memorial were complete and dedicated on Veteran’s Day 1995. The statues were added one by one and were dedicated each Veteran’s Day thereafter until 1999 with the addition of the last statue, the Vietnam Marine. It is a lovely structure and despite its proximity to the street and several parking lots it is a peaceful spot for remembrance. I was there in October 2016 and took these photos on a lovely Sunday morning.
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AboutWar Memorials is a blog about monuments, statues, plaques, and other dedications to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country and the cause of freedom. ArchivesCategories |