June 1, 2014

  • Memorial Day Walk

     

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    On Memorial Day, we noticed in the newspaper a report of a memorial walk in a park close to where I was staying.  That day we explored the park in the late afternoon, and the next day we walked the memorial.  Elings Park is a City Park developed by a private donation on the site of an old, unused landfill dump. 

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    It has been developed since the mid-1950's, and is still under development.  It's hard to develop anything on top of a landfill, due to the gasses that remain under the topsoil.  They continually have to grade and level and change the contours -- there are tennis courts, a baseball diamond, a soccer field (being regraded), a BMX track, and on top a memorial garden.  It also has a nice view across the canyon (the house on top of that hill was once owned by the sister of the Shah of Iran).

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    At the top, in the memorial garden, there is a memorial dedicated to all Santa Barbarans killed in battle.  There are separate plaques for each conflict, and a central one including all the conflicts.

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    The path is paved; after the Terrace of Remembrance it continues up the hill and around a corner, with natural plants along the way.

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    At the top of the hill there is a personal memorial to a young man who died of a drug overdose.

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    After our walk in the Memorial Garden, we visited my nephew and his family -- here's my just-turned-2 great nephew.

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Comments (29)

  • Your walk was beautiful as well, was probably a bit more public than mine. :)

    • Because we actually did the walk on Tuesday, there were only one or two other people on the trail -- and a few ladies picnicking with their kids at a lawn at the top! It is a lovely place.

  • It is always important to remember our dead, in an enduring and respectful manner. Well done, Santa Barbara.

  • That's a nice way to honor SB's solders. We have some memorials built too.

  • That is really nice. Thanks for taking me along!

  • All of the sculpture is beautiful. I especially liked the addiction memorial. Well done but sad that so many lives are destroyed in that way...
    That nephew is a cutie!

    • Yes -- the memorial is beautiful, and I also liked the Summit for Danny monument. My little 2-year-old is no longer a baby -- he's a cute little toddler!

  • A landfill put to very good use.

  • That was very inspirational. Thanks

  • very meaningful place ~ and what a cute little guy at the end! :)

    • It's a beautiful memorial, fwren -- I'm glad you enjoyed it. My little nephew really is a cute little toddler!

  • u really did that a Memorial Walk.
    I thought you were just calling it that.

  • Janet, this was a striking and poignant post all together! Loved the various plaques in the stone walls. Very touching.
    Wonder who lives in the home now that was formerly owned by the Princess of Iran.

    • It's a very wonderful memorial to all the war casualties of Santa Barbara. There were a number of names that I recognized (at least the family names), though I don't think I ever knew any of the people themselves. For example, Hollister is a family name that goes way back in Santa Barbara ranching history -- a Hollister showed up in the Garden of Remembrance. I don't know who purchased the house -- there's a LOT of money in that part of town, and the house must have a gorgeous view!

  • Walking from memorials to mémorial monuments or steles is the memory lane
    Love
    Michel

    • It was quite an interesting walk -- many prominent families of Santa Barbara were represented.

  • What a wonderful memorial. It looks lovely and, yet, somber to reflect the tribute. I found the statue "Summit for Danny" very interesting and poignant... If it helps one person overcome then it's certainly worth it. peace always

    • It is truly a wonderful memorial -- as well as the walk, there are individual memorials within the park to local family members who died from other causes -- a beautiful park.

  • 'For your tomorrow we gave our today'. Lot's of food for thought in those words. Lovely picture walk again. :-)

  • A fitting war memorial/tribute to the fallen soldiers from the area...

  • I always enjoy your picture/storytelling. Santa Barbara must be a beautiful town.

    • Santa Barbara is a wonderful town -- my most recent two posts (of the courthouse) show more of its beauty!

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