Every last Monday in May, we celebrate Memorial Day in remembrance of those who died in active military service. We’re going further this year and including places that honor not only the the fallen and their families who fought to keep our country safe, but the law enforcement officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty as well.
Here’s the five places we’re visiting this weekend:
Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge, St. Louis: The 1,500-ft cable-stayed bridge connects Illinois with Missouri over the Mississippi River near downtown St. Louis and is one of the longest bridges of its kind in the U.S. The bridge got its name from a compromise between politicians on each side of the Mississippi River who had different ideas for the name. The Missouri side wanted to name the bridge after the St. Louis Cardinals’ legendary outfielder and first baseman, Stan Musial, who died the year before the bridge opened, and the Illinois side wished to honor military veterans.
University of California Berkeley’s (Cal) Memorial Stadium: Built in 1923 as a memorial to California’s fallen heroes of World War I, the renovated stadium is home to the Golden Bears football team. While, it’s not football season yet, the modern, two-story structure and its “floating” press box are an aesthetic delight to witness in the offseason too.
National September 11 Memorial Museum Pavilion, New York City: The steel and glass pavilion extends four stories into the air, offering a visual joy to guests below, while the rest of the 47,000-sq.-ft cultural facility keeps visitors busy at its museum at the former site of the original World Trade Center.
Minnesota Fallen Firefighters Memorial, Saint Paul, Minn.: The memorial honors the sacrifice of Minnesota firefighters killed in the line of duty. It houses the Minnesota Fallen Firefighters Memorial Statue, which is encircled by steel columns resembling firehouse poles.
September 11 “Lest We Forget Memorial,” Point Lookout, Mo: In 2015, College of the Ozarks dedicated its memorial to the fallen officers from the Port Authority for New York and New Jersey and the 3,000 people who perished in the September 11 attacks. The memorial includes one of the steel beams from the original World Trade Center.