The Ernest W. McFarland and the American Dream Memorial celebrates the legacy of Ernest William “Mac” McFarland, who served in the highest office in all three branches of Arizona government. Located within the Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza in Phoenix, Arizona, the memorial was designed to honor McFarland while also providing visitors with a sense of connection to the history and legacy of the entire state.
Honoring Different Chapters of Arizona History
Known as one of the “Fathers of the G.I. Bill,” McFarland served in the United States Senate from 1941-1953. He was then governor of Arizona from 1955 to 1959, where he made an effort to support high-tech industries and the Central Arizona Project’s sustainable water initiatives. He then sat as Chief Justice on the Arizona Supreme Court in 1968. He died in 1984 and would soon be honored with a structure that celebrated his legacy and impact on Arizona history.
In 2015, a new memorial was unveiled in his honor at the Wesley Bolin Plaza in Phoenix, just outside the state capital building. Numerous informational panels take viewers through the important pieces of history that he helped shape for Arizona. They each depict a different chapter in his life that also has a connection to the history of the state.
The focal point of the memorial is a 24-foot Triumphal Arch representing the “Gateway to Opportunity” that Mac provided to his constituents. A memorial plaque represents Mac’s reputation as a workhorse and a humble man who simply considered himself a public servant. Various symbols used throughout the site represent his accomplishments and the personal hardships he overcame.
Events that bring the community together also take place on a regular basis at the memorial, underscoring the impact on audiences in the present. Completed by the McFarland Memorial Restoration Fund, which is a private fundraising effort led by McFarland’s grandchildren, the Ernest W. McFarland and the American Dream Memorial is connected to the past and future of the entire state, highlighting what it can mean for a legacy to impact multiple generations.
A Dream, A Path and A Legacy
Dedicated to the hopes and dreams of all Americans, the Ernest W. McFarland and the American Dream Memorial showcases how a memorial that is connected to an individual can represent the legacy of something much bigger. In doing so, it has become an essential element of the larger Wesley Bolin Plaza by serving as an attraction that audiences can enjoy and appreciate in terms of a dream, a path and a legacy.
