Dedicated to the people who served for the United States in the Vietnam War, the Vietnam War Memorial is a distinct landmark in Pueblo, Colorado. Defining Dundee Park on multiple levels, the monument imagines what it can mean to see what is otherwise empty space instead positively define an entire community.
Dedicated to Colorado Vietnam Veterans
Three, large black stone slabs make up the Pueblo Vietnam War Memorial. Nicknamed “the slabs,” these pieces reside directly beneath several military flags and the Colorado and United States flags. Dedicated to “Colorado Vietnam veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice,” each piece of stone features the names of Coloradans who served in the war from 1959-1975. In front of the slabs is a marker dedicated to the memory of Barbara A. Robbins, who was the first female casualty of the Vietnam War. The Colorado resident died as a result of a terrorist bombing at the United States embassy in Saigon, Vietnam in 1965.
These pieces anchor Dundee Park, which is a small stretch of community greenspace residing between rows of houses that would otherwise be totally empty, attracting attention from both residents and visitors. As an illustration of the positive impact it has cultivated, a Korean War memorial was installed across from the landmark.
The community has embraced the Pueblo Vietnam War Memorial to the point that it is considering renaming the landmark to honor a Puebloan who served during the conflict. These developments showcase what an imaginative approach to defining a space and honoring a memory can do for individuals, stakeholders and entire communities.
Cultivating an Identity
Pueblo has been mentioned as one of the most patriotic cities in America, which the Vietnam War Memorial has further cultivated by transforming an otherwise empty stretch of greenspace. Doing so has connected the community to a larger legacy and identity that continues to resonate in the hearts and minds of audiences across the eras.
