The Mission: “To construct a living, interactive memorial in Beaverton,
Oregon’s Memorial Park to HONOR our patriot forefathers who served or assisted
the colonies during the Revolutionary War and to EDUCATE our children and the
future generations about the American Revolution and the price and
responsibilities of FREEDOM.”
The memorial that has been planned to honor our nation’s
Revolutionary War history has gone through several name and design changes
because of changing building regulations.
As the design evolved, the concept grew from just another
static “Memorial Wall” to a living, breathing interactive memorial bringing
history to life through modern technology. The scope will be broader, including
contributions by community partners, all sharing the goals of education,
service and patriotism.
While the memorial will continue to be spearheaded by the Lewis
& Clark Chapter and the Oregon Sons of the American Revolution, it can also
boast patriotic materials and stories from partner organizations like the
American Legion, local and state historical and genealogical societies, Oregon
State Daughters of the American Revolution, Children of the American Revolution
and local service organizations.
The new vision congealed
into a two-part memorial, the first part is the physical memorial in the Beaverton
Memorial Park. Comprising of eight walls arranged in the shape of the snake from
the “Unite or Die” flag. The walls are set into a concrete floor with the snake
symbol and the phrase “We the People” etched deep into it. The second part of the memorial is the stored
information with the ability to update, change and improve that information and
store it for retrieval by anyone, anywhere at any time.
- Etched into the bottom of the blood red granite walls are the names of the Patriots who served or assisted the colonies during the Revolutionary War and whose ancestors are members of the Oregon Sons of the American Revolution or the Oregon State Daughters of the American Revolution. Next to the list is a QR code that when you scan it on your mobile device, it takes you to a web page that has the biographies of those Patriots. It also has links to DAR and SAR databases where you can get more information, and see if maybe you are related to a Patriot.
- Sections of journal pages written by the men who were fighting at Valley Forge, the Hudson River area and Yorktown as an example will be etched into the walls. QR codes again link to more journals, and to historical and genealogical society libraries not only in Oregon, but across the United States.
- A graphic yearly timeline from the Boston Massacre March 5, 1770 to June 21, 1788 when the Constitution was ratified. The information etched above the timeline is the dates of some of the major battles fought, and the information below the timeline is major events in the lives of the people that influenced the battles. Scan the QR codes to get to more information and links on the events.
- Etched images and writings of everyday life of the colonists; clothes, toys, what they ate and what their homes and business looked like. QR codes again take you to more information and links, while you are still standing in front of the memorial in Beaverton.
- Let’s not forget about those Patriots. Life size images cast in bronze of a Minuteman, a Militia soldier and a Continental soldier.
- In the corner, a raised dais containing several revolutionary war flags, flags our patriots fought and died under both on land and sea, are flying in the breeze adding color and life to the memorial. Along the front of the dais etched into the red granite is the Oregon Revolutionary War Memorial logo along with the words “Together we are strong”.
www.orwm.org www.orevwarmem.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/orwm.memorial www.instagram.com/orevwarmemorial
Email: info@orwm.org
No comments:
Post a Comment