Graceful and sacred – Alabama Veterans Memorial Park (photo gallery)
Reading time: 3 minutes
One of Birmingham’s most solemn treasures is the Alabama Veterans Memorial Park.
Built in remembrance of the men and women who fought for our freedom since 1900, the graceful memorial sits on a wooded 22 acres off the I-459 Liberty Parkway exit.
Built in remembrance of the men and women who fought for our freedom since 1900, the graceful memorial sits on a wooded 22 acres off the I-459 Liberty Parkway exit.
Alabama Veteran Memorial Park – slideshow (photos by Bham Now’s Pat Byington)
Park Entrance and Tour
The park has plenty of parking and the wooded trail is handicapped accessible. The highlights of the memorial are the American Flag Plaza and the Memorial Plaza.
The Plazas
The American Flag Plaza features a large American flag that can be seen from I-459. Surrounding the base of the flag is 500 StepStone pavers honoring veterans, both living and dead. Twice a year there is a dedication ceremony, where the StepStone pavers are placed at the American Flag Plaza.
At the end of the trail, visitors approach the Memorial Plaza. They will first see thirty-six free standing columns, honoring Alabama heroes including citations from the state’s twenty-three Medal of Honor recipients. Embedded in the columns are meaningful and beautiful castings by Alabama artists. Some castings are very personal with written notes by fallen soldiers to their families to symbols of our state, country and humanity.
Hall of Honor
After viewing the columns, visitors enter the Hall of Honor, a quiet sacred place with lists etched on the walls of the over 11,000 names of Alabama’s fallen heroes killed in the wars and military conflicts since 1900.
After leaving the Hall of Honor, there is a nice short trail back to the parking lot.
Memorial Day Remembrance, 2017: Sunday May 28, 2017 1:00 – 3:30 pm
There will be a special event commemorating Memorial Day on Sunday.
From the Alabama Veterans Memorial Park website: This weekend, Sunday, May 28, 2017, the Alabama Veterans Memorial Foundation in partnership with the Vulcan District Boy Scouts will honor veterans at 1:00 PM in the annual Remembrance Ceremony.
The Vulcan District Boy Scouts will honor our veterans who have been added to the “Honor List of Alabama’s Deceased” since May 2016.
The Foundation will dedicate StepStones to over forty veterans, living and deceased and from many American states. The StepStone Dedication Ceremony will begin at 2:00 PM.
Inspirational, graceful and sacred. The Alabama Veterans Memorial Park is truly a treasured place in the Magic City.
