Located in the same square as the Connecticut State Capitol Building in Hartford, Connecticut, the Connecticut State Veterans Memorial honors Connecticut citizens who fought for and served their country. The powerful design incorporates the names of the individuals as well the iconography associated with multiple branches of the military to give audiences a place where they can just as easily engage with the legacy of the state as they can relax or take a walk.
Five Columns, Countless Connecticut Veterans
Located in Hartford’s Minuteman Park, granite pavers and various park benches define the space while leaving plenty of open area. All of it leads the way into the prominent five columns in the colonnade. Each ones represents a different branch of the military.
The Memorial honors the Connecticut residents who have defended and continue to defend and serve the United States. Highlights in this area include granite pavers, benches, specialty lighting, and landscaping. Engraved granite pavers throughout the plaza are dedicated to numerous armed conflicts like World War II and the Vietnam War.
Made made possible by the Connecticut State Veterans Memorial, Inc., the nonprofit organization was established exclusively to raise funds for and build a state-wide memorial to honor all Connecticut veterans. Donations to the organization may be made by mailing a check or money order, with sponsorships also connected to the names listed on markers and benches at the memorial.
These efforts have enabled the Connecticut State Veterans Memorial to serve as a central site for the State of Connecticut to conduct official observances, activities and ceremonies to honor veterans, including on Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
Since 1775, more than 1.3 million Connecticut citizens have served in defense of peace and freedom. Connecticut has over 277,000 veterans living in the state. By giving audiences a place where they can honor those who served in the past while celebrating veterans in the present, the monument showcases what it can mean for a legacy to make such a notable impact on individuals and entire communities.
Connecting Audiences to a Legacy
The names and organizations that are literally written in stone as well as the design of the solid granite walls and structural colonnade pieces have all come to define the look and legacy associated with the Connecticut State Veterans Memorial. These elements connecting audiences to various pieces of history that spans multiple eras of the city and state. It highlights what it can mean for memorials to create engagement in spaces that might otherwise be empty with audiences that would otherwise be unconnected.
