COME STROLL WITH US DOWN THE AVENUE OF HEROES

"One of Wisconsin’s Best Kept Secrets"

You won’t see these kind of monuments unless you can visit Washington, DC

Take the virtual tour here ~ when you get a chance, stop by Memorial Park in Arcadia for the memorable tour.

The walk begins on the West end of the Park. Walking east you can experience the development of the City of Arcadia, along with the memorials to all wars and conflicts. As you enter, you will see a pillar honoring all POW/MIA. The pillar located on the opposite side honors all of the Silent Heroes of Wars and Conflicts. The Rotunda depicts events and persons prior to the establishment of Arcadia, such as the War of 1812, along with a statue of Andrew Jackson, George Washington, President, 1789-1797, Brigadier Gen. Thaddeus Kosiuszko, a Polish National, and a monument for the Polish History of Arcadia.

Off to one side of the Avenue of Heroes, you will witness an Army tank which was obtained through the efforts of two local Veterans and citizens.

The Avenue of Heroes Walk is laid out in meters with each meter representing one year. The Walk Way covers 500 years from the establishment of Arcadia in 1854 until 2354. Memorial plates note events in the history of Arcadia.

Strolling east again, you will see the Civil War “Boy” Soldiers, which gives recognition to the under-age soldiers who took part in the Civil War. All of the flower beds on the walk are measured in meters. One meter represents one year of that particular war

As you stroll down the walk, you will see next in view the statue of Abraham Lincoln from the Civil War era and a bit further down the walk, you will see the Angel of Mercy monument in memory of the Asian War Movement. This monument was given to the City of Arcadia by the Taiwan Furniture Company. It is a 26 ton statue. Ron Wanek was instrumental in obtaining this and many other statues in the Park.

During the summer, you will see beds of flowers that are cared for meticulously by volunteers.
As you continue your stroll down the Avenue of Heroes, you will see a monument dedicated to those who died in the Spanish-American War. It depicts Teddy Roosevelt "Remember The Maine".

A bit further down the path is the World War I monument with a Veteran's roster on the left of the monument. Here you will find a listing of all of the Veteran's from the area who participated in this war. This is noted to be the "War to End All Wars".

Next, along the walk is a monument depicting World War II at Iwo Jima, the raising of the Flag.

The Korean Conflict is remembered with a monument titled "Heading North-Communisms First Defeat". To the left of the Korean Memorial, you will see the roster of area veterans who served their country during this period. This memorial depicts a local veteran, Richard Gamoke, who served in Korea during the war.

The Viet Nam Conflict is remembered with the Viet Nam War Monument and the Viet Nam black granite Wall Monument. The War Monument depicts a Veteran from the area, David Hesch, who served in Viet Nam. Names of many area soldiers/Veterans are etched into the black granite similar to the Wall in Washington, DC.

Next in view is the area dedicated to the Persian Gulf War Veterans. This is the first recognition of the female soldier, along with George Bush, Colin Powell, and General Norman Schwarzkopf.

The newest addition to the Avenue of Heroes is the Memorial dedicated to those who gave their lives on 9/11. A portion of this monument is a steel beam from the twisted wreckage in New York City.

After you pass the Persian Gulf Monuments, you will see a monument, along with plaques, denoting America in the 20th Century.

You will then pass by the Pavilion and the largest chicken barbeque pit on the American continent. Eighteen hundred pieces of chicken can be grilled at one time on this grill. The Pavilion is the result of the local Lions Club and can be rented for weddings, graduation parties, etc.

The next monument depicts the area's agricultural background among the early settlers. The man with the horse depicts the father of contributor, Ron Wanek. Much of the Arcadia area was settled into a farming community. The fertile land was perfect for crops and animals.

As you stroll along the path you will see another monument depicting the early settlers in the Arcadia area with the farm women and children. The lady resembles the mother of Ron Wanek and the children resemble present day grandchildren of Ron and Joyce Wanek.

As you approach the amphitheater, you will see the area directly in front of it lined with commemorative bricks which have been purchased by individuals wanting to honor family members and area residents or in memory of loved ones.

The amphitheatre was dedicated in 2000 with a concert by Charlie Daniels. There is a seating capacity in the amphitheatre of 2500. It is the perfect setting for a summer wedding.

Around the perimeter of the amphitheatre is the General's overlook. There are statues of General Patton with his bull terrier, Willie, at the base. Others include General Douglas Mac Arthur, Commander of Pacific Forces, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander, John Pershing, Commander of Expeditionary Forces, Ulysses Grant, Civil War General and John Paul Jones, Father of the U.S. Navy.
Through the efforts of local Veterans, a Howitzer was obtained. This sits near the amphitheatre on the East end of the Avenue of Heroes. Off on the other side of the amphitheatre is an F-16 Fighter jet. This is one of two which were decommissioned. It was shipped to Arcadia in sections, and then assembled to its' resting place on the bank overlooking Memorial Park. The pilots resembles local Veteran, Ralph Haines.

There is much more to see in this park but the above may give you some idea of the quality of Memorial Park.

Come visit Memorial Park soon.