Whether you want to honor a fallen or missing family member or friend for Memorial Day, Veterans Day, or any other special day, visiting a monument may be the perfect way to do it. While the Olympia Capitol campus is best known for its myriad of memorials, Seattle, Tacoma, and other cities in the Puget Sound region have memorials dedicated to nearly every branch of the service, every war the United States has fought in the last 100 years, and active and retired service members Check the locations and lists below to find out which monuments are nearby.
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Capitol Campus
The Capitol Campus in downtown Olympia has the best variety of monuments and memorials anywhere in Western Washington. The memorials are popular Memorial Day and Veterans Day destinations, and the beauty of the campus during the fall, when the leaves turn, can’t be beat. You can easily make a day of visiting here by adding a tour of the Capitol or walking through downtown Olympia.
Monuments and monuments on the Capitol campus:
- WWII Memorial
- Law enforcement memorial
- Winged victory monument
- Prisoners of war memorial
- Memorial medal of honor
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial
- Korean War Memorial
Location: 416 Sid Snyder Avenue SW, Olympia (along Capitol Way S. between 11th Avenue SE and 16th Avenue SE.
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War Memorial Park
Tacoma’s War Memorial Park is right off busy 6th Avenue and the Narrows Bridge, but it’s quiet and peaceful within the park’s boundaries. Situated in a 3.7-acre ravine, the park includes several memorials, all in one location. As such, it is often the setting for Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day meetings and events.
Monuments and monuments at War Memorial Park:
- World War I Memorial
- WWII Memorial
- Korean War Memorial
- Wall of Honor for local veterans
- Wall of Honor for local prisoners of war / MIA / KIA
- Pierce County Medal of Honor Winners
- Blue star memorial
- Gulf war memorial
- Vietnam War Memorial
Location: entrance off N. Skyline Drive and 6th Avenue in Tacoma
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Pioneer park
Parks and gardens
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Pioneer Park is home to a Veterans Memorial, located right at the front of the park and visible from Meridian Avenue. There is often a gathering of veterans and active military for Memorial Day or Veterans Day here.
Location: 324 S. Meridian, Puyallup
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Lake View Cemetery
Parks and gardens
4.7
While the Lake View Cemetery is very much a graveyard, there is a unique monument located on the grounds. The Nisei War Memorial honors Japanese-American war veterans. Nisei is a Japanese term that refers to the children of Japanese immigrants who were born in the United States and had American citizenship, many of whom signed up to serve in World War II.
Location: 1554 15th Ave E, Seattle
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Des Moines Memorial Drive
One of the most unique landmarks in the area is in Des Moines, just south of Seattle. Instead of a monument made of cement or stone, this monument consists of American elms planted in remembrance of soldiers who died in WWI. Originally only 25 trees were planted, but now there are more than 1,000.
Location: The trail begins in downtown Des Moines on Marine View Drive.
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University of Washington campus
There are several memorials on the UW campus:
- Memorial Way: on 45 th Street NE there is a walkway that serves as a general monument
- World War I Memorial
- WWII Memorial
- Monument to the Spanish Civil War
- Memorial medal of honor
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Bellevue Downtown Park
Parks and gardens
4.7
Located within the Bellevue Downtown Park, is a WWI memorial dedicated to WWI veterans.
Location: Corner of NE 4th Street and Bellevue Way
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Seattle Fallen Firefighters Memorial
Originally, the Seattle Firefighters Memorial honored firefighters who died in a warehouse fire in Chinatown in 1995, but since then it represents more than 30 Seattle firefighters who died in the line of duty during the department’s history. .
Location: Occidental Park, S. Main and Occidental Avenue S., Seattle
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Tacoma Fallen Firefighters Memorial
The names of the fallen Tacoma firefighters are on plaques on a brick wall behind a dynamic bronze statue of three firefighters in action. The monument’s location is near a retired fireboat as well.
Location: Along the Tacoma waterfront on Ruston Way
