The Living Monuments in Downtown Indianapolis to Honor Military Veterans

Story by Michael Clark, Miller Brooks

The city of Indianapolis continues its rich tradition of honoring our nation's military veterans with the official dedication of The Living Monuments in downtown Indianapolis on Dec. 13, 2019. Carved from Indiana limestone, The Living Monuments project celebrates the commitment and generosity of the men and women who dedicate their lives to serving America, while saluting the diversity and strength of these heroes.

The Living Monuments is located on the grounds of the world-renowned Soldiers and Sailors Monument, and at just 2-ft tall and 5-ft wide, it was created to serve as both an independent marker as well as a podium in which individuals can stand and interact with the memorial.

"The Living Monuments truly complements our existing memorials and monuments, and we could not be more thrilled to have this new addition as a way to celebrate the courage of the 400,000 veterans in Indiana," said Brig. Gen. Stewart Goodwin, executive director of the Indiana War Memorials Commission. "Considering the meaning behind the monument, the engagement potential with visitors to downtown Indianapolis and the heritage of the natural stone, it is really a perfect fit for our landscape."

Photos taken with The Living Monuments and shared on social media using the hashtag #LivingMonumentsIndy will help generate a donation to the Indiana War Memorial Foundation.

Polycor Inc., the world's largest natural stone quarrier, who recently merged with Bloomington, Indiana-based, Indiana Limestone Company, was the catalyst behind The Living Monuments.

"The Living Monuments began as an avenue to recognize and celebrate our veteran employees and to thank them for their sacrifice and commitment to our nation," said Matt Howard, President, Polycor West. "It's incredible to think that The Living Monuments will now reside in a city with such a rich military tradition and strong culture of honoring veterans. We couldn't be happier."
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With 25 acres filled with a museum, three parks and various monuments and memorials, Indianapolis ranks first in the nation in the number of acres dedicated to honoring veterans, and second only to Washington D.C. in the number of monuments.