Our Story

We have come a long way since we joined with Orange County to build a veterans’ memorial that honors the men and women who have served us in the service of their county.

There have been a lot of hurdles to pass since the original concept and design for a memorial. We started fundraising in on Veterans Day 2015 and concurrently went to work on a concept design for the Homestead Site. That design was presented to Orange County Commissioners on September 20th, 2016. The commissioners and area veterans toured the site and received a presentation on the design as the commissioners looked out over the site.

Our landscape design architect, David Swanson, explained that photographs were taken of the site to capture the existing historic homestead trees and then overlaid with drawings of the proposed memorial.  This let everyone understand better the retained beauty of the Homestead Site. The final concept design plan was then presently formally at the Orange County Commissioners Meeting and accepted.  Now the project is fully in motion and the committee can formalize project development, site dedication, fundraising, and eventually groundbreaking. The site was dedicated on Veterans Day, November 11, 2016, at 11 a.m. The site construction began with groundbreaking on Memorial Day 2017, and we are finalizing construction plans for Phase I – Flag Plaza dedication for Memorial Day 2018.

How can you help?  Share the story of the Orange County Veterans Memorial with your family, friends, co-workers, business partners and others.  Tell them that this memorial will be possible because of their efforts. This is their story, your story… it is the story of the thousands of Orange County Veterans who have defended our country since Colonial Days.

Be it a dime from a child or thousands of dollars from a business, individual, trust, group, or civic organization, all donations count. Consider sponsoring or hosting a fundraising project at a school, church, or group.  If you want to remember, recognize, or salute the thousands of men and women who have served their Country and Orange County, this is how you can do it.

North Carolina was first in freedom on May 20, 1775, and North Carolinians have served around the world since then. Make a donation.

You can follow our progress by following our site news blog. Just click on the News Blog link here or in the main menu above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the proposed memorial honor only Orange County residents?
No. The memorial honors all veterans. Our County recognizes the contributions of the many people who have lived, worked in, visited, or studied in Orange County. See some examples of prominent contributors.

Does the name of the memorial have special significance?
Yes. It reflects the belief that we honor all veterans.

Is a veteran someone who is part of the American Legion or Veterans of Foreign Wars?
That is a tricky question to answer. Both groups, and many other war veterans groups, have “veterans” as members, but not all veterans are members of either group.

How do you define a veteran?
A veteran is someone who has served their country in uniform on active duty as a member of the armed forces. Learn more.

Is there a Federal definition of a veteran?
Yes. Under Federal Law a VETERAN is any person, who served honorably on active duty in the armed forces of the United States. (Discharges marked General and Under Honorable Conditions also qualify.)  If you need help with a veteran issue, please be sure to contact the Orange County Veterans Services Officer, Ivan Sarabis.

How will the proposed memorial be funded?
The memorial is a gift of the citizens and friends of Orange County. 

Can businesses and other groups made a donation to fund construction and maintenance of the new memorial? 
Yes. Please visit our Donation Page for more information.