American Legion Milwaukee Memorial Monument

The American Legion has partnered with the Milwaukee Water Works to restore the American Legion Memorial Monument that has graced the eastern slope of Kilbourn Reservoir Park since 1931. Thereafter, Milwaukee Water Works paid tribute to American Veterans every year by planting nearly 50,000 flowers in the shape of the American Legion emblem on the west slope of the reservoir. This practice continued for more than 60 years, until cost became an issue in the mid-1990s.

For nearly 15 years, the emblem disappeared. Then, after the Water Works decommissioned the original water reservoir and transformed it into a park in 2006, a permanent representation of the American Legion Emblem was installed in 2010. The new monument used polished glass instead of flowers to create a representation of the emblem. Sadly, after just 12 years, the polished glass is deteriorating and in need of repair. 

The Water Works dedicated $100,000 in funding to fix the monument, and accelerated the restoration project to coincide with the annual American Legion convention, which will be held in Milwaukee this year (2022) for the first time since 2002. The restored monument will replace the current emblem with high quality polished quartz, which will do a better job reflecting sunlight so the emblem is clearly visible for all to see. We need your help to make up the $34,000 funding difference.