Located in Anchorage, Alaska, the Anchorage Veterans Memorial at Delaney Park is a collection of monuments and markers that honor the service and sacrifice of so many Alaska citizens. This effort has enabled the landmark to become an active part of the community, ensuring audiences of all types can engage with the space and the legacy it represents.
Honoring Alaskans Lost in Conflict
Delaney Park is the oldest park in the city. It was established as part of the original Anchorage township plat in 1917 and named for James Delaney, one of the first mayors of Anchorage. Dedicated in the 1987, the Anchorage Veterans Memorial is the most prominent feature of the space.
The memorial is defined by a reflective setting surrounding the flagpole, where audiences can sit or simply take in the various features. Those features include markers honoring those Alaskan citizens lost in various conflicts, including Vietnam, Korea, and Iraq. The names of the people lost in each conflict are prominently displayed. Markers dedicated to the creation of the moment as well as a monument to Purple Heart recipients have anchored the space for decades.
The Fallen Warrior statue was installed in 2001 and is dedicated to Alaska Veterans whose eyes have seen what the protected will never know. As part of a larger renovation, sculptural panels were also added, one of which provides an abstracted view of the iconic image of Denali, while the other shows an abstracted ocean vista constructed of granite slabs.
The Anchorage Veterans Memorial was planned, financed and constructed by those in the community who understand and acknowledge the response to duty, the spirit of dedication and a willingness to sacrifice on behalf of fellow citizens for the benefit of all. Further underscoring how it become an active part of the modern community, flowers and wreaths are consistently places beneath the Fallen Warrior statue and the names of fallen Alaskans. These connections highlight what kind of an impact such attractions can have to individuals and across entire communities.
Reflection and Sacrifice
Created as the community’s effort to recognize what so many Alaskan citizens fought for in multiple conflicts, the Anchorage Veterans Memorial at Delaney Park is connected to various individuals and eras that define the community. Doing so has ensured it will remain an attraction that appeals to audiences from across the region and beyond.
