The Springfield Veterans Memorial Plaza at Willamalane Park, originally built in 1968 during Vietnam. A major update transformed the plaza in 2016. The large granite monument seen in the foreground above is engraved with an artistic rendering of a combat soldier contains a complete list of Springfield military veterans who gave their lives. A women’s memorial, installed in 2017, is an incredible bronze sculpture, The Lionesses, representing past, present, and future female veterans. It is one of the few monuments nationwide that honors women in the U.S. military. In 2018, the American Rosie the Riveter Association honored the women who made history on the Home Front during World War II with a new garden of rose bushes. Springfield’s patriotic heart beats resolutely. Every year on Memorial Day, Springfield families gather for several meaningful hours at beautiful Willamalane Park, in the heart of the city, to honor the country’s fallen service members. The City of Springfield, along with its partner Willamalane, and the American Legion Post #40 in Springfield organizes this wonderful event.
