Oregon Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Encyclopedia
The Oregon Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a 3.25 acre (30k m²) outdoor memorial
dedicated to Oregon
ians who served in the Vietnam War
. It is located in Portland, Oregon
's Washington Park at 45.5120°N 122.71857°W. The memorial was dedicated in 1987, inspired in 1982 by visits to the national Vietnam Veterans Memorial
by five veterans and the parents of a Marine killed in Vietnam. Walker and Macy of Portland designed the memorial.
The memorial is wheelchair accessible and consists of a 1200 foot (370 m) spiral path within an immaculately landscaped bowl containing lawns, flowers and low hedges surrounded by a mixture of tall trees. Along the path are understated monuments which name soldiers killed or missing. Each monument is year specific and effectively communicates the progression of the war: a slow beginning escalating to a crescendo then diminishing before the end.
It is accessible by U.S. Route 26 and by Portland's MAX Light Rail
system, which has a station nearby
.
The memorial is located between Hoyt Arboretum
and the World Forestry Center
and near the Oregon Zoo
. The adjacent trail system connects to Forest Park
, and is close to the International Rose Test Garden
and Portland Japanese Garden
.
Memorial
A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....
dedicated to Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
ians who served in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. It is located in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
's Washington Park at 45.5120°N 122.71857°W. The memorial was dedicated in 1987, inspired in 1982 by visits to the national Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a national memorial in Washington, D.C. It honors U.S. service members of the U.S. armed forces who fought in the Vietnam War, service members who died in service in Vietnam/South East Asia, and those service members who were unaccounted for during the War.Its...
by five veterans and the parents of a Marine killed in Vietnam. Walker and Macy of Portland designed the memorial.
The memorial is wheelchair accessible and consists of a 1200 foot (370 m) spiral path within an immaculately landscaped bowl containing lawns, flowers and low hedges surrounded by a mixture of tall trees. Along the path are understated monuments which name soldiers killed or missing. Each monument is year specific and effectively communicates the progression of the war: a slow beginning escalating to a crescendo then diminishing before the end.
It is accessible by U.S. Route 26 and by Portland's MAX Light Rail
Metropolitan Area Express (Portland, Oregon)
Metropolitan Area Express is a light rail system in the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is operated by TriMet and currently has four lines: Blue, Green, Red and Yellow, with an Orange line currently under construction....
system, which has a station nearby
Washington Park (MAX station)
Washington Park is a station in the MAX Light Rail system of TriMet, served by the Blue and Red lines. It is located in Portland, Oregon and is a part of the Robertson Tunnel under Portland's West Hills. It is the fourth station westbound on the Westside MAX alignment...
.
The memorial is located between Hoyt Arboretum
Hoyt Arboretum
The Hoyt Arboretum is located atop a ridge in the west hills of Portland, Oregon, United States. It was founded in 1922 by a collection of timber industry representatives, the U.S...
and the World Forestry Center
World Forestry Center
The World Forestry Center is an American nonprofit educational institution in Portland in the U.S. state of Oregon. Located near the Oregon Zoo in Washington Park, the center was established in 1964 as the Western Forestry Center.-History:...
and near the Oregon Zoo
Oregon Zoo
The Oregon Zoo, formerly the Washington Park Zoo, is a zoo in Portland, the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Located southwest of Downtown Portland, the zoo is inside Portland's Washington Park, and includes a narrow-gauge railway that connects to the International Rose Test Garden inside...
. The adjacent trail system connects to Forest Park
Forest Park (Portland)
Forest Park is a public municipal park in the Tualatin Mountains west of downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Stretching for more than on hillsides overlooking the Willamette River, it is one of the country's largest urban forest reserves...
, and is close to the International Rose Test Garden
International Rose Test Garden
The International Rose Test Garden is a rose garden in Washington Park in Portland, Oregon, United States. There are over 7,000 rose plants of approximately 550 varieties. The roses bloom from April through October with the peak coming in June, depending on the weather...
and Portland Japanese Garden
Portland Japanese Garden
The Portland Japanese Garden is a traditional Japanese garden occupying 5.5 acres , located within Washington Park in the west hills of Portland, Oregon, USA.- Design :...
.