In designing the Gold Star Families Memorial, we took inspiration from a wide range of existing military monuments, veteran parks, and Gold Star Family memorial sites across the country. We wanted an intentional and deeply symbolic design, with beautiful materials custom fit to maximize the use of our location.

 

Theme:

From the beginning, we knew the memorial needed a clear theme. Above all, it had to remain a tribute to the families - the survivors - rather than a focus on the fallen. We decided to use the familiar “saluting silhouette” that would be rendering a salute to a golden star. This central theme ensures the memorial stands as an unmistakable tribute to Gold Star Families. At the heart of the monument, the center stone features the custom silhouette of a local service member, while the golden star itself is carved from solid limestone sourced from a quarry in Northeast Iowa.

 

Form:

Once the theme was established, we turned to the form. We wanted to incorporate a tradition into the shape that Goldstar Families would be familiar with, and honored by. One of our Armed Services’ traditional ceremonies of the highest honor is the 21-gun salute. To symbolize this ceremony of the highest honor we increased the height of the silhouette to a commanding 7 feet, representing a 7-man firing team. We then divided the monument into 3 distinct pieces to represent the 3 volleys fired by each member of the team in the 21-gun salute.

 

Size:

Next, we had to determine the size. We wanted the overall scale to reflect the full scope of our nation’s military history and sacrifice. Since there is no single “beginning” to Gold Star sacrifice, we chose June 14, 1775 - the date our Second Continental Congress established the Continental Army, the first branch of our nation’s armed forces. This date is subtly encoded in the measurements: The two shortest heights on each side of the monument are 3 feet 6 inches, and the tallest central height is 7 feet 6 inches. Together, these three heights total 14 feet 6 inches, representing the 14th day of the 6th month. The base of the monument’s total width measures 17.75 feet, representing the year 1775.

 

Materials:

The next part of the monument’s design was the material. We knew it had to be indestructible, and we knew it had to be American. The dark granite sourced right here in the Midwest was the perfect option. It’s deep and somber tone evoke feelings of mourning and respect, while the indestructible hardness perfectly represents the spirit of those who made the ultimate sacrifice but are here with us now through this symbol.

 

Memorial Site:

The center monument pays tribute to the Golden Star. The Golden Star is flanked on either side by 3 benches made of the same striking granite. These 6 benches in total represent each of our nation's armed services, standing solid and resolute by the Golden Star’s side.

 

By nightfall, a soft perimeter lighting will illuminate the Memorial with a peaceful glow of remembrance - mirroring the timeless symbol of a candle in the window.

 

Our final effort in bringing the Gold Star Families Memorial to life was a deliberate Western orientation, calibrated for a precise solar alignment. Each year on Memorial Day, the rising sun will pour through the silhouette and cast its shadow toward the star - a golden salute rendered in light, as if the fallen, on a day that belongs to them, have returned to honor the sacrifice of those they left behind.