Korean War Memorial, Tallahassee Florida
The Korean War Memorial
The Korean War Memorial in Tallahassee, Florida
Hours:
Sunrise to Sunset (Except for events) but basically
Open 24 Hours
Address:
790 Suwanne Street (CPPF+7H)
Cascades Park
Tallahassee, Florida
USA
32399
Part of Cascades Park, there is no entry, there might be other events occurring at the Park throughout the year
Park Information can be found through the DigiTally app and Park rules (covering permits, dog rules, etc.) can be found here.
Information about parking can be found through the TalGov website or in the PDF map.
History
The Korean War Memorial is located in the Cascades Park District, which is a 24-acre, multi-purpose park. Cascades Park was resurrected by Blueprint 2000 after coal-tar contamination had closed the area for decades. It is Tallahassee’s first “smart park” and has free Wi-Fi.
State funds for the memorial were pushed by Governor Lawton Chiles (an artillery officer in the Korean War) and Senator Pat Thomas (Quincy, fellow veteran). Public funds were raised to ease the cost. Groundbreaking for the memorial happened on December 2, 1998, with the dedication one year later on December 11, 1999. The keynote speaker was Governor Jeb Bush with attending dignitaries Harley Coon (National KWVA President) and Kwang-Sok Ryu (The Korean Consul General).
Korean War Veterans in Florida
Over 1.5 million Americans fought in the Korean War, which lasted from 1950-1953. Reported figures vary but of the over 50,000 Americans that died, an estimated 583 were Floridians (various federal agencies have listed anywhere from 555 to 583). Florida is the home of the second-largest veteran population in the United States (California is the first) with 1.7 million veterans. As of the dedication, the state had veterans from World War II, Vietnam, and Korea.
Close up of the names etched in the stone at the Korean War Memorial in Tallahassee, Florida
Design
The memorial represents the celebration of life, through Florida’s veterans who died during the conflict. The memorial can be seen throughout several spots in the walkway of the park but the main entrance is at the corner of Gaines Street and Suwannee Street.
It was designed by Shawn Bliss, of Prosser Inc.
The main part of the memorial is the broken circle that presents a halo over a field burial marker (a rifle thrust into the ground with a helmet atop). The broken sphere represents the broken promise of the circle of life. The missing piece of the circle lies outside of the circle and is engraved with the 580+ names of Floridians who died in the war.
There is a large map of Korea on the ground of the Memorial, divided into two distinct parts by the sculpture. Around the edge of the memorial is the timeline that chronicles the Korean War. Breaking up the walk are rough-hewn markers that give a brief story as well as major battles that occurred during that time frame.
While the design is accessible to all, it is not meant to be stood on, played on, or skateboarded on. The designer, the Veteran’s Department of Florida and the Parks Department have all emphasized this point. There is a playscape for children a few yards away (including a climbing gym, water play area, and other play amenities). The memorial is meant to be a quiet, contemplative space to memorialize those that died in a war often forgotten.
Citations
American Planning Association, Florida Chapters. 2016 People’s Choice Winner: Cascades Park.
Florida Department of Veterans Affairs. Way Back Machine. Korean Memorial.
Kleindienst, Linda. The Sun-Sentinel. Korean War Vets To Get Monument.
The Korean War Educator, Memorials
Lutz, Rebeccah. Tallahassee Democrat. Korean War Memorial At Cascades Park Isn’t A Playground.
Tallahassee Downtown. Cascades Park.
TalGov website, The History of Cascades Park
Poertner, Bo. The Orlando Sentinel. Korean War Veteran’s Donation To Memorial Has Special Meaning.