Veterans Park
About Veterans Park
The Florence Veterans Park, dedicated on November 11, 2008, stands as a lasting tribute to the brave men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces. At the official opening, active and retired military members across all branches, including Guard and Reserve units, honored the occasion through a presentation of colors, the Pledge of Allegiance, the invocation, and the ceremonial raising of each branch’s flag. The keynote address was given by Columbia native Major General (Ret.) Charles F. Bolden, Jr., a decorated USMC fighter pilot and NASA astronaut. Following his remarks, former Florence Mayor Frank Willis and sculptor Alex Palkovich unveiled the park’s central obelisk, a bronze eagle tribute honoring all U.S. Armed Forces veterans. Co-chairs Rick Walden and Tom Marschel, both U.S. Army Vietnam veterans, then revealed the Wall of Honor, which commemorates 900 veterans from the Pee Dee region.
The six-acre park is situated on land generously donated by the estate of the late R.P. Byrd, WWII veteran, and former Florence representative Edward L. Young. Originally announced by former Mayor Willis in June 2005, the project was funded through hospitality funds and constructed by Florence Builders.
Park Features and Dedications
Adjacent to the Florence Center, the $2 million park initially featured an amphitheater, a water wall, a steel wall engraved with the oath of enlistment, and a landscaped circular trellis, each surrounded by pathways allowing for future monuments and plaques.
Today, Florence Veterans Park includes monuments dedicated to the 20th-century wars—World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Persian Gulf War—as well as the branches of the military. In 2024, a new monument will honor the U.S. Space Force, joining existing tributes to the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine.
The park’s sculptures depict powerful moments of military life: “Home Safe” celebrates the return of a service member to family, while “Alone With Memories” honors the grief of those who have lost a loved one in service. Historic artifacts are also on display, including a piece of limestone from the Pentagon’s west facade following the September 11, 2001 attacks, and a metal fragment from the USS Arizona, which sank in the Pearl Harbor attack.
The Gold Star Monument honors families who have lost loved ones in service, and the Purple Heart Monument commemorates those wounded in combat. Other dedicated memorials include the Wall of Honor, which recognizes veterans with connections to the Pee Dee area, the POW/MIA Monument, and the anchor of the WWII Coast Guard Cutter Comanche.
Annual Veterans Day Ceremony and Visitor Information
Each year, Florence Veterans Park holds a Veterans Day Ceremony on November 11 at 11:00 a.m., with the ceremony beginning later in the afternoon if the holiday falls on a Sunday. We invite you to join us in honoring our veterans and their families.
For more information, including purchasing a plaque on the Wall of Honor or about monument placement and event policies, contact the City of Florence Parks and Recreation Department at 513 Barnes Street, or by phone at 665-3253.
