One of Houston’s darkest chapters is getting the light it deserves, thanks to Memorial Park Conservancy and Buffalo Soldiers Museum. The 1917 Houston Mutiny and Riots are the focus of a new onsite audio exhibit.
Designed to serve multiple audiences, memorial park provides natural beauty for meditation and peace for grieving families. It also offers a sense of dignity for all veterans and their loved ones.
History
The story of Memorial Park is not only about how it became one of the 10 largest city parks in the nation, but also how it was born of war. The full tale is told in a new book entitled Memorial Park: A Priceless Legacy, published by Herring Press.
During World War I, the site of Memorial Park served as Camp Logan – a training center for millions of soldiers who were drafted after the Selective Service Act passed in 1917. To commemorate the anniversary of this event, a new historical exhibit is being launched in the 100-acre Clay Family Eastern Glades.
The exhibit features six onsite audio experiences that take place in the space and can be accessed via a QR code reader on your mobile device. For a map of possible grave sites, click here.
The Memorial Walls
The Memorial Park features multiple monuments and statues that honor local military veterans. This unique space is a gathering place for veterans, families and communities to celebrate and recognize our local heroes.
The largest memorial at the site is a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall. Thousands of names of fallen service members are inscribed on the panels. A visit to the Memorial can be an emotional experience as visitors run their hands along the walls and carefully read each name.
The 168 chairs represent the nine floors of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building that were destroyed in the 9/11 attacks. Each chair bears the name of a victim killed in the attacks. The Gold Star Monument is the newest structure to be built at the memorial park. It was designed with style guidelines set by the Woody Williams Foundation and Delaware Gold Star Families.
The Vietnam War
The memorial park has a very important position in Fruita because it is located right on the major highway. This means that it can attract a national audience.
The foundation launched a competition at schools to find a design for the monument. The winner, Fort Worth resident Ryan Scieneaux, designed a tree of life surrounded by marble slabs, each displaying the names of soldiers who died in Vietnam.
The Museum of Flight’s Boeing B-52G was transported and installed at the new memorial park in May 2019. It is one of the largest warbirds on display. Its relocation brings the old saying “all gave some, some gave all” to life. It is an honor to see it back in its place of glory. It is a place for all to visit and reflect.
The Gold Star Monument
The Gold Star Monument at Memorial Park honors families who have lost a loved one in military service. It was inspired by the Gold Star Mothers, a national organization founded in 1928. A family member of a fallen soldier may purchase a plaque at the monument and display it to honor their loved one’s memory.
The memorial is a gathering place for families and a location for yearly candlelight vigils. It is also the home to a nationally popular and locally renowned jogging trail that is used by local residents as well as professional sports athletes.
A memorial was built at Memorial Park in 2023 by GSFMM – the Gold Star Family Memorial Monument (GSFMM). The monument is part of a larger effort by Medal of Honor Recipient Hershel Woody Williams to encourage communities nationwide to establish their own Gold Star Families memorials.
The Bald Eagle Statue
When you first enter memorial park, two small metal bald eagles are located at the entrance of the grounds. These are smaller versions of the larger ones that adorn a monument deeper within the park.
These eagles symbolize freedom and the strength of the American spirit. The eagles are a reminder of the sacrifices made by veterans to protect and provide for their country.
The GWOT monument features a bronze bald eagle clutching an actual piece of the World Trade Center in its talons. The sculpture was donated by the community. Across the top of the monument are black granite history panels that each tell the story of a war or conflict on American soil.
Memorial Park offers residents of Farmington Hills a place for quiet reflection and to honor their loved ones who have passed away. Instead of competing headstones, this beautiful memorial park uses dignified, sculpted bronze markers lying flat on landscaped plots.