Veterans Memorial Monument

Veterans Memorial Monument (1996) expresses the gratitude of the community to all veterans who had served honorably in U. S. military forces and demonstrates the continuing commitment of UW-La Crosse in commending to its students, faculty, staff and visitors an abiding appreciation for the sacrifices of veterans.

The design is celebrative in nature and contains the following symbolism which reflects both the monument's status as a veterans' memorial and the stadium's function as a UW-La Crosse athletic facility:

• The 5 decorative steel arches and masonry columns represent the 5 military services whose crests are displayed on each column.
• Each spoke in the steel arches represents an individual state in the union of states with the center spoke representing the District of Columbia; thereby, each arch contains 51 spokes from column to column.
• The arches join to form a dome which is representative of both our national and state capitol domes. The arches are connected at the apex by a pentagonal joint much the same way that the military forces are united in the defense of the country through the Department of Defense, headquartered in the Pentagon Building.
• The eagle atop the canopy is a national symbol, appearing on the Great Seal of the United States, and it also serves as a local symbol of UW-La Crosse athletic teams.
• The eternal flame signifies the community's enduring gratitude for the sacrifices of its veterans.
• The columns are constructed of alternating brick and Winona limestone layers, replicating the facing design adorning the university's Graff Main Hall, the oldest building on campus.
• The brick, limestone and black metal motif extend an architectural feature common throughout the UW-La Crosse campus.
• The pedestal supporting the eternal flame sculpture replicates the pentagonal structure with the external faces displaying the mottos of the respective military services whose crests appear on the corresponding, opposite facing column.

Photograph by L. L. Lebiecki

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Last modified: 08/20/02
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