The Highground Veteran's Memorial Park

A great place to spend Memorial Day honoring those who serve is The Highground Veteran's Memorial Park.  Located four miles west of Neilsville Wisconsin, the memorial was built as a tribute to fallen veterans and as an honor to all those who have served.

Although I live very close to this park, I had never heard of it before and I was completely shocked by the both the scale and beauty of it.  Here's some interesting facts:  The park project began in 1984 and has grown to 155 acres.  It includes a museum, a gift shop, pavilions, picnic area, and four miles of hiking trails.  And here's the best part:  it receives NO federal or state funding, and is supported by donations and grants!  Isn't that amazing?  It is the LARGEST manned Veteran's Park in the nation!

Pictured below are "Honor Stones".  Family members and individuals alive or dead can have a stone made for them in honor of their service.

The park is filled with beautiful and meaningful statues of all the wars and conflicts the United States has been involved in. 

Below is pictured The Gold Star Tribute dedicated to anyone who has lost a family member in any of our nation's national conflicts.

Pictured below is the Persian Gulf Tribute honors all branches of military service who served through conflicts in the Middle East.  The tribute is actually the shape of a boot (which you can see from a higher viewpoint).  According to the park's website the boot impression has the following meanings:

• The impression of the bootprint symbolically recalls the impression these men and women have had in our world.
• The bootprint is a metaphor for marching forward in the Global War on Terrorism
• The bootprint is a metaphor for walking with you and not past you as stated in the Mission Statement for the Tribute design.
• The bootprint is divided into two symbolizing the sorrow felt by the loss of each of these loved ones.
• The two-piece boot design allows for this Tribute to straddle existing trails and act as a gateway or ‘anchor’ for a section of the trail system or future Tributes.
• The bootprint recalls the variety of impressions left in the sand, of the desert-like conditions of the Middle East conflicts.
• The bootprint allows the Tribute to be located at a lower elevation so that those arriving to The Highground, can view the Persian Gulf Tribute from above.

The first permanent structure in the park was the 70 foot high flag pole.

Below is pictured part of the beautiful grounds and Meditation Garden.  Being a Gardner myself, I found this area of the park to be the most touching and meaningful.

Pavilion inside the Meditation Garden.

The Fountain of Tears is one of four rooms located in the Mediation Garden.  "The GI statue is the genesis of the tears in the Fountain of Tears tribute which reflects the spirituality of the Meditation Garden. In one hand the GI is holding dog tags of his fallen comrade. His other hand rests on a helmet and impaled rifle. His tears flow through the fountain under the bridge and into the pond."

As a wife and mother, this statue spoke the most to me, where the wife and child sit at the end of the pond holding a folded flag.  So sad.

Here is the story of the dove sculpture pictured below:

"On September 26, 2005, Sgt. Andrew Wallace was killed serving in Iraq. In October 2005, his mother Janie Brockman and other members of his family visited the park and talked to the director at that time, Kirk Rodman, about ways to honor Andrew. One of the options, Kirk told them, was to sponsor the Dove Signature Sculpture. Janie mentioned there had been doves at Andrew’s funeral, but didn’t elaborate. Later, Janie agreed to write a story for the newsletter about the seven doves released at Andrew’s funeral. In the meantime, welder David Hallingstad agreed to help Anne build her sculpture. On February 7, 2006, just 10 days before the sculpture was to be placed on its base, David called The Highground with a change he felt was necessary. Anne’s design specified six doves, but “there was a hole in the center that didn’t look right.” It was just the right size for a dove, the seventh.

On February 24, 2006, Janie and Andrew’s family, Anne and David, set the base of the Ascension of Doves sculpture in the Meditation Garden. Seven Doves. Welcome Home, Andrew."

The globe pictured below represents the world's involvement in WWII and how every continent in the world was somehow affected by the war.  The globe is five feet in diameter and illuminates at night.

There is a special section of the park dedicated just to female soldiers and nurses.

The Korean Veterans Memorial is pictured remaining photos.  My father was involved in both WWII and the Korean War.  He served as an airplane mechanic.

If you are interested in reading more about this incredible place that honors our military I encourage you to visit their website The Highground,  as this post cannot do it justice. And better yet, if you're ever in the area, stop by and pay it a visit.   It is truly an amazing and beautiful place.  

The park is free and open to the public 24 hours, 7 days a week, all year long.

Have A Great Memorial Day Weekend!  Amy

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