Over 400 residents gathered at the Nez Perce County Courthouse grounds Saturday morning for the dedication ceremony of a new veterans memorial honoring Nez Perce County residents who served in the United States Armed Forces from World War I through the present day. The granite and bronze memorial, funded entirely through private donations and community fundraising over a three-year campaign, features the names of 142 Nez Perce County residents who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country.
The ceremony included a color guard presentation by the local American Legion and VFW posts, a 21-gun salute, the playing of Taps, and remarks from elected officials, military veterans, and Gold Star family members. Idaho National Guard Brigadier General addressed the crowd, praising Nez Perce County’s tradition of military service and the community’s commitment to honoring those who served.
The Memorial’s Design and Meaning
The memorial was designed by a Lewiston-based architectural firm in consultation with a veterans advisory committee that included combat veterans from Vietnam, the Gulf War, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The centerpiece is a 12-foot granite obelisk inscribed with the words “In Honor of Those Who Served” surrounded by bronze plaques listing every Nez Perce County resident killed in action from 1917 to the present.
Surrounding the obelisk, five granite benches represent the five branches of the U.S. military — Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard — each inscribed with the branch’s motto and founding date. A paved walkway leads visitors through a landscaped garden designed to provide a quiet, reflective space for contemplation and remembrance.
“This memorial says something important about who we are as a community,” said the fundraising campaign chair, a retired Army colonel. “It says we remember. It says we honor sacrifice. And it says to every young person in Nez Perce County who puts on a uniform — your community will never forget what you did for your country.”
Community Fundraising Effort
The memorial’s $285,000 construction cost was raised entirely through private donations, from individual contributions as small as $25 to major gifts from local businesses, veterans organizations, and civic clubs. The fundraising campaign took three years and involved over 600 individual donors — a testament to the depth of community support for the project.
What Comes Next
The memorial is open to the public year-round. The Nez Perce County Veterans Memorial Commission plans annual ceremonies on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Family members of veterans who wish to have names added to the memorial database can contact the county clerk’s office. Donations for memorial maintenance can be made through the Nez Perce County Veterans Memorial Fund.