About the Milwaukee County War Memorial

The Milwaukee County War Memorial is one of the most recognizable buildings on the city’s Lake Michigan shoreline.

Situated just north of the Milwaukee Art Museum, the War Memorial overlooks the lake from the east side of downtown on East Mason Street, and its plaza is a popular spot for gathering to see lakefront fireworks.

Its mission comes down to six words: “Honor the Dead. Serve the Living.”

The building was dedicated on Veterans Day 1957, the work of Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen, according to the War Memorial’s website.

The building’s design was “influenced by the abstract geometry of modern French architect Le Corbusier,” according to the Milwaukee Art Museum website.

The building is not only a memorial but a “hub for veteran activities,” the War Memorial website states.

An eternal flame memorial sits in a small pool, illuminating a black granite honor roll that includes names of Milwaukee County residents who have died while serving in the U.S. military.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: About the Milwaukee County War Memorial