Documenting the American South

Monument Name

Yadkin County Veterans Garden, Yadkinville

Type

War Memorial

Subjects

World War I

World War II

Veterans of Multiple Wars

Iraq War, 2003-2011

Vietnam War, 1960-1975

Korean War, 1950-1953

City

Yadkinville

County

Yadkin

Description

The central element of the memorial consists of five rectangular granite pillars standing on a low multi-tier base with a lintel connecting the pillars across the top. Near the top of each pillar is an incised coat of arms of five branches of the military. From left to right: Army, Navy, Airforce, Marines and Coast Guard. Across the front face of the lintel are the words DUTY, HONOR, COUNTRY. The structure stands approximately 20 feet tall. Behind this feature are a flag pole and the dedication plaque. In front is a large granite circle several inches high on a concrete pad. In the center of the circle is a large star of darker granite. The center of the star appears to have held a small plaque at one point. All that is visible is the outline. The four corners of the memorial area are marked by narrow granite slabs several feet tall, two at each corner, with the incised names of American conflicts beginning with World War One. Nearby are a self-propelled howitzer and a small Korean War era military helicopter.

Images: Angle view | Back left corner | Back right corner | Block at flagpole | Dedication inscription | Howitzer | Rear view | Front left corner wall inner inscription | Star

Inscription

Dedication plaque at flagpole: YADKIN COUNTY VETEREANS GARDEN / ERECTED AND DEDICATED TO COMMEMORATE / ALL YADKIN COUNTY VETERANS WHO SERVED / THEIR COUNTRY. / YADKIN COUNTY VETERANS MEMORIAL COMMITTEE / C. PHILLIP MENDENHALL, CHAIRMAN / GRADY HUNTER, CO-CHAIRMAN / RALPH RAY, COMMANDER, V.F.W. / MEL SPEAS, COMMANDER, AMERICAN LEGION / PHIL MARTIN, RECREATION DIRECTOR / BIL RUTLEDGE, YADKIN RIPPLE / JOHN PAULSON, V.F.W. / LEVERN SPILLMNAN, V.F.W. / JIMMY VARNER, COUNTY MANAGER / CLYDE WALL, AMERICAN LEGION / THIS MEMORIAL WAS MADE POSSIBLE / THROUGHT THE DONATIONS, PLANNING AND / DEDICATION OF INDIVIDUAL, CHURCH AND / CORPORATE CONTRIBUTORS. / DEDICATED ON November 11, 1993.

Stone block at flagpole: "MANY GAVE SOME; / SOME GAVE ALL"

Lintel above five columns: DUTY HONOR COUNTRY

Front left corner wall outer Inscription: YADKIN COUNTY

Front right corner wall outer inscription: VETERANS GARDEN

Front left corner wall inner inscription: OPERATION DESERT STORM / IRAO KUWAIT

Rear left corner wall inner inscriptions: KOREAN WAR WORLD WAR I

Rear right corner wall inner inscriptions: WORLD WAR II VIETNAM

Custodian

Yadkin County Recreation Department

Dedication Date

November 11, 1993

Decade

1990s

Geographic Coordinates

36.118050 , -80.638040 View in Geobrowse

Supporting Sources

Harrison, Kitsey Burns. ‘Veterans Day Celebrated at Yadkin County Park,” Yadkin Ripple (Yadkinville, NC), November 17, 2015, (accessed March 21, 2021) Link

Jarvis, Robin. “Climb Inside an Old Military Helicopter at a County Park in North Carolina,” Only In Your State, September 2, 2020, (accessed March 21, 2021) Link

Public Site

Yes

Materials & Techniques

Granite

Sponsors

Yadkin County Veterans Memorial Committee

Location

Yadkin County Veterans Garden is located at 6600 Service Rd, Yadkinville, NC 27055. The park is not visible from the road. It is fronted by the Yadkin Family YMCA.

Landscape

The memorial is located in a rolling landscape county owned park with walking and jogging trails and a small fishing pond.

Post Dedication Use

Veterans Day Observations held each year at Yadkin County Veterans Garden.