Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial, (sculpture).

Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial, (sculpture).

Roberts, Helm, architect.

Traco Construction, contractor.

Atchison's Kentucky Monument Service, fabricator.

Fendley's Elberton Granite Finishing Corporation, contractor.

Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial, (sculpture).

1987-1988. Dedicated Nov. 11, 1988. Rededicated Nov. 12, 1988.

Digital Reference:

Gnomon: stainless steel, filled with concrete; Plaza: Elberton Georgia granite.

Gnomon: approx. H. 14 ft. x W. 18 in. x L. 24 ft.; Plaza: approx. W. 71 ft. 1 1/2 in. x L. 89 ft. 4 in.

(Inscribed on plaza, proper right rear corner:) Atchison's Kentucky Monument Service/Fendley's Elberon Granite Fininshing Corporation (Three plaques providing history of Vietnam War, history of the memorial, and lists of sponsors' and creators' names) (Inscribed at back entrance to plaza:) 1962 (Inscribed at front entrance to plaza:) 1975 (Inscribed on plaza, encircling gnomon:) KENTUCKY VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL (Roman numerals I-XII) (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) signed Founder's mark appears.

Memorial consists of a broad plaza marked out as a sundial with a gigantic gnomon placed toward the right rear, pointing true north. Plaza is inscribed with the names of 1,065 Kentuckians killed during the Vietnam War; their names are placed so that the shadow of the gnomon falls across each name on the anniversary of the soldier's death. Names of 22 MIAs/POWs are placed so that they are never in shadow. The entire plaza is enclosed by low granite walls; one entrance is inscribed 1962, the other 1975, the years when the first and last Kentuckians died in the War.

History -- United States -- Vietnam War

History -- United States -- Kentucky

Object -- Other -- Sundial

Outdoor Sculpture -- Kentucky -- Frankfort

Administered by Kentucky Vietnam Memorial Fund, P. O. Box 393, Louisville, Kentucky 40201

Located Coffee Tree Road, Frankfort, Kentucky

Roberts' design for the monument won the nationwide Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial competition in 1987; design originally conceived by Roberts in 1974, for use at another site. Cost of the monument was $1 million, raised by the Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc. The State of Kentucky contributed $100,000 and the site on Coffee Tree Road. Ground-breaking ceremonies were held Nov. 7, 1987; the memorial was dedicated twice, on two consecutive days, in 1988. Memorial is designed so that names of POWS/MIAs whose deaths are confirmed may be added to the plaza with the other war dead. IAS files contain related newspaper clippings from The State Journal (Frankfort, KY) Jan. 26, 1992, Sec. C., pg. 1 and Nov. 11, 1988; and related brochure entitled "The Kentucky Vietnam Veteran's Memorial.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Kentucky survey, 1993.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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