Covington County Veterans Memorial Park

Covington County Veterans Memorial Park. . , In 2001 Andalusia Mayor Earl Johnson enlisted Kenneth G. Johnson, a local Marine Corps veteran, to help begin the process of developing a veterans' park and monument to honor U. S. veterans, a project that had long been the dream of thousands of local veterans and their families. Mayor Johnson and Kenneth Johnson served as co chairmen of the original veterans monument committee a complete listing of those members is on the opposite panel. The project began with a donation of the park site and a seed grant of $25,000 from the City of Andalusia. This park is the result of more than two years of planning, fundraising design and construction. It was dedicated on Veterans' Day, November 11, 2004, with Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., Chancellor of Troy University and a former marine corps Viet Nam veteran, delivering the dedicatory address. , The monument and surrounding park were designed by Birmingham landscape architect Dale Fritz and includes a stainless steel obelisk that stands forty-two feet atop a granite base upon which are listed the names of all Covington County U. S. armed service veterans along with brick pavers killed in action beginning with world war one upon which are listed names of veterans with connections to Covington County; a five pointed star representing the five branches of the U. S. armed services and eleven flag poles representing the eleventh day of the eleventh month, Veterans' Day. , The 5,000 pound stainless steel obelisk was designed and assembled by local metalsmith William Merrill and is believed to be the largest of its type in the United States. It sits atop the eight foot tall black granite pedestal fashioned by Sam Carroll Memorial. Inc., of Andalusia. , Also located on the site is a monument to Covington County's only recipient of the Medal of Honor, Marine Sergeant Rodney J. Evans as well as a monument honoring those who received The Purple Heart, the oldest of all U. S. military medals., Reverse, Covington County Veterans' Memorial Park , Committee Members, Kenneth G. Johnson, Co-Chairman . Earl V. Johnson, Co-Chairman , Greg Berry . J. T. Raley , Thomas Dozier . Doyle Taylor , Robert Green . Luther Taylor , Foyl Hudgens . Larry Turman , Byron Nichols . Marvin Walker, Landscape Architect, Dale Fritz and Associates, Inc., Birmingham, AL , Obelisk Contractor, William Merrill. Andalusia, AL , Bronze Plaque and Granite Base Contractor, Sam Carroll Memorials. Andalusia, AL , Veterans Memorial Park Construction Superintendent, James B. Hogg, , Dir. of Public Works, City of Andalusia.