53 mins ago - Culture

Downtown KC to get its first WWII memorial

Abbey Higginbotham

Poster titled "Jackson County World War II Memorial" shows the flag-raising scene with military logos at the bottom; a man in a gray suit speaks at a podium outdoors near a brick building. — Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota presents the mockup. Photos: Abbey Higginbotham/Axios

Downtown will soon have its first memorial honoring the men and women who served in World War II.

Why it matters: Few WWII veterans are still alive, and the memorial will give the city a permanent place to honor their service.

Stunning stat: The memorial will join around 14,000 WWII markers and memorials logged worldwide in the Historical Marker Database.

Zoom in: Frisbie Monuments, a local company, will build the memorial in the center of Oppenstein Brothers Memorial Park downtown, and the county will add lighting, landscaping and benches around it.

What they're saying: "It won't be tucked away somewhere that people rarely visit," Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota said Tuesday. "It will be a part of the everyday life in downtown Kansas City."

What's next: The county aims to install the memorial by next spring and plans to hold an official dedication then.

Add Axios on Google

Downtown KC to get its first WWII memorial

More Kansas City stories