About the New War Memorial Park

Nearly 54 years after the original War Memorial Park opened to the greater Tacoma public, the second-generation park on the southeast corner of Jackson Avenue NE and State Route 16 was rededicated before a crowd of 250 people on May 13, 2006.

Like the first park that resided exactly where the east anchorage of the new bridge lies, the serene 3.7 acres of manicured lawn, garden beds and well-placed monuments honors the sacrifices made by men and women of the armed forces.

Living” War Memorial Park – Then

Living War Memorial Park became reality in Tacoma in 1952. Civic leaders led a community effort to build the Memorial at the east end of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. The steering committee included representatives from almost every civic, service, fraternal, and military organization in Tacoma.

On Nov. 11, 1952, Armistice Day, dedication ceremonies for the memorial honored the sacrifices of Tacoma area military men and women. Volunteers did all the work to build the 2.5-acre park. It included a grassy park and an 800-pound bronze bell. Farmers donated flower bulbs, sailors from the nearby Naval base helped build a parking area, and the Tacoma Bricklayers and Hod Carriers' Union built the 20-foot stone monument. The site was deeded to the city by the Young Men's Business Club, which had been given the property by Harold A. Woodworth.

Fast forward 50 years to 2002 when WSDOT prepared to break ground on the new bridge project. The park rested squarely in the footprint of the new bridge's east anchorage, so before officials broke ground on the new bridge in October 2002, the memorials were dismantled and put in storage.

Just War Memorial Park – Now

In September 2005, the monuments were taken out of storage and reinstalled at the 3.7-acre park. The new park, now called War Memorial Park, has perennial and annual beds and a mix of native shrubs. In addition, native trees, such as Douglas fir, Western Red Cedar and Quaking Aspen have been planted. The concrete paths that border the formal grounds are lined with flowering cherry trees.

Besides walking or riding bicycles on paved pathways along the park’s perimeter, visitors will be able to enjoy a picnic lunch and then take in interpretative panels, a dedication wall, and the USS Copahee monument that honors a World War II escort carrier. The ship, decommissioned in Tacoma in 1945, received one battle star for service in the South Pacific.

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