More than
granite and flags It’s a reminder to never forget the service of veterans
A
By Al Edenloff aedenloff@echopress.com
n inscription on a wall at the new Veterans Memorial Park in Alexandria reads, “Let No Veteran Be Forgotten.” Those words were also the driving force behind all the work that went into the park. It took more than three years to plan, raise money, design and build the new Veterans Memorial Park, which officially opened to the public last month. The committee that organized the effort had to overcome fundraising challenges, tough decisions on where to put it, and trying to solicit funds in a pandemic. But their members say it was well worth it. Gabe Pipo, chairman of the Veterans Memorial Park Committee, describes the new park at a “shrine in time” that stands for the community and its staunch support of veterans who served their country. In a letter to the editor, Pipo said he feels very grateful to live in such an area. He thanked the entire community, starting with city government and its employees who permitted the committee to build in a city park that will be cared for into the long-term future. He also thanked the Douglas County Board for donating monuments from the courthouse lawn. Pipo said there were many others who also gave the committee full support, from fellow veterans who donated time, mileage, talents and personal resources to all the businesses and individuals who donated. Another committee member, Jim Conn, described the park as a “memorial for the ages.” It includes a Liberty Bell replica, nine flags, restrooms, a picnic area, and the names of 7,000 veterans engraved on granite monoliths, serving as a reminder that no veteran should be forgotten, Conn said. “It’s not just granite and flags – but all of that and much more,” he said. Ownership of the monoliths, remembrance walls and other property in the park, estimated at nearly $1.5 million, was officially transferred to the city and approved by the Alexandria City Council last month. The city agreed to maintain the park, the restrooms and the gazebo area.
The committee initially set a goal of raising $700,000 for the park and ended up with $1.7 million. City leaders were impressed with the committee’s resolve. “It has been truly amazing to watch the Veterans Memorial Park Committee, local businesses and the community as a whole band together to raise the funds for construction of the memorial,” said City Administrator Marty Schultz. Committee member Russ Oorlog told the city council his “heart was good” about how the project came together and he commended the council and Parks and Facilities Director Bill Thoennes for their strong support. “We never got a no,” he said. The city will work with the Douglas County Veterans Service Office and other veterans organizations regarding any future changes to the memorial. The council’s main role will be to approve engraving on the monuments once or twice a year that will be guided and paid for by a nonprofit veterans organization.
About the site
The VMP is situated upon a parcel of land at the corner of Eighth Avenue and Broadway in the area previously known as “Legion Park” which served as a modest city park. In the 1800s, the site had been used as a city dump and had a low swamp close to the original downtown. So when excavation for the VMP began in 2019, thousands of discarded bottles from the turn of the century were uncovered, along with tons of ash from the early power plant and all sorts of durable refuse, including chassis from early automobiles, according to Conn. The ground was extremely unstable, Conn said, which made the site unable to meet the load bearing requirements of the heavy surface structures planned for the park. Innovative Foundation SupportWorks of Rush City was initially hired to install nine foundational helicoils for the undersoil support system. “When the dust settled, almost 100 helicoils were actually installed underneath the VMP at depths reaching 60 feet below the surface,” Conn said. Continued on page 7
▲ Al Edenloff / Echo Press
Sixteen-month-old Amelia Hoff, of St. Cloud, touches one of the monoliths at the Veterans Memorial Park after a flag raising event on July 4. .
The stories behind the names By Karen Tolkkinen ktolkkinen@echopress.com
Here are just a few of the stories behind the names.
he stories behind the more than 7,000 names on the monoliths at Veterans Memorial Park could fill many volumes. These men and women experienced hardship and fear, as well as camaraderie and courage. Some learned to hate war — others, to depend on its crazy adrenaline rush. Some of them gave their lives in conflict. Others gave their limbs, their eyesight, their peace of mind. Some were kept prisoner for months or years. Others made it home, only to struggle awake each night from nightmares.
Civil War Medal of Honor recipient
T
The conflicts memorialized at the park go back to the Civil War and include Barzilla “William” Nichols. Nichols was in his late 20s when he took part in the Battle of Mobile Bay on Aug. 5, 1864, according to records posted online by Veterans Memorial Park organizers. A New York native, he had worked aboard whaling vessels before joining the Union troops aboard the USS Brooklyn as quartermaster.
His ship successfully attacked the rebel-controlled Fort Morgan on the Alabama coast and his actions won him the Navy Medal of Honor. Amid heavy enemy fire, “Nichols fought his gun with skill and courage,” his citation said, according to the records. After the war, Nichols settled in Hudson Township south of Alexandria and later married. He received his medal in 1865. He died in 1891, at age 56 and was buried in Kinkead Cemetery in Alexandria. His burial site has received a new gravestone noting his Medal of Honor status. Continued on page 7
▲ Barzilla “William” Nichols.
Veterans Memorial Park NOW OPEN! @ the Corner of 8th and Broadway, Alexandria, MN
We thank all of our 1611 donors! The Veterans Memorial Park wants YOU! Have your veteran’s name engraved in our Park. $100 donation is requested but not required.Special Recognition will be afforded at no charge to any veteran who qualifies as POW, KIA, MIA or Medal of Honor recipient. Contact us for details:
Veterans Memorial Park
Veterans Memorial Park
“LET NO VETERAN BE FORGOTTEN”
Phone: 320-460-8303 Email: vmp@alexveteranspark.org Website: www.alexveteranspark.org Mail: PO Box 733, Alexandria, MN 56308