This upcoming weekend will be a long one, as the country comes together to celebrate Memorial Day. For the past 54 years, the United States dedicates final full weekend in May to celebrating those who have served as American military personnel. It’s so much more than the unofficial start to summer or the weekend in which many start taking their boats out on the water; It’s a deeply important celebration of some of this country’s greatest heroes. The Lake Country area is blessed to have Oconomowoc’s Veterans Memorial Park located right beside its downtown. The park is known statewide for its beauty, overlooking the stunning Lac La Belle. However, it’s not only a pretty place, but it has a profoundly important history.
Memorial Day was first declared a federal holiday through an act of Congress in 1971. Prior to this, it had been known as “Decoration Day” and was unofficially celebrated by states and locales throughout the country. As far back as 1868, Decoration Day paid tribute to fallen Civil War soldiers. Throughout the years, Decoration Day went on to become a tribute for all American servicemen who had died in service of the nation. Once Congress decided to officially recognize the day as Memorial Day, it became an annual tradition observed on the last Monday in May.
Oconomowoc’s Veterans Park was first recognized as Memorial Park in 1983. Prior to that, the area had been a boat causeway and lock that helped boaters move between Fowler Lake, Oconomowoc Lake, and Lac La Belle. When the boat lock went out of service, it was transformed into a park. Due to its location beside the city’s old public library, it earned the name Library Park until the 1983 change.
In 2011, residents of Oconomowoc came together and decided to expand the park’s significance. A team of volunteers and generous donors came together to help raise money to update and transform the park. After a few years of careful planning and hard work, the park was officially dedicated in October 2015. The park’s fountain area is shaped in the traditional five pointed star, symbolizing the five branches of the military, and flies each branch’s flag. From the right of the central flag pole is the Honor Walk, which lists the names of over 4,000 engraved names as well as bricks with brief dedications from service members.There is also a prayer area, offering visitors a quite place to pay tribute to the servicemen and women. Finally, there is also a MIA-POW Memorial to the south, represented by a star.
This Memorial Day, take a moment to stop by the park and take in its powerful homage to those who helped serve and protect our nation.
