Payne County Veterans Memorial "Freedom's Flame"

The memorial consists of a polished black granite “Freedom’s Flame” monument at the entry, a series of 6 flagpoles and 6 black granite benches lining the approach walkway, a black granite lectern, the black granite eternal “Flame” memorial, and a single flagpole with adjacent bench at the western point of land. At the entry to the memorial, is the stylized “Freedom’s Flame” monument, which is sited adjacent to a parking area, and along a paved path leading to the memorial. Front of Monument: The front of the monument is inscribed: “FREEDOM’S FLAME” PAYNE COUNTY VETERAN’S MEMORIAL. Rear of Monument: The rear is inscribed: THE PAYNE COUNTY VETERANS MEMORIAL IS A TRIBUTE TO ALL VETERANS OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY FORCES. THE MEMORIAL IS A GRANITE “FLAME’ THAT REPRESENTS AN ETERNAL FLAME FOR VETERANS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES, A BEACON FOR VETERANS WHO ARE SERVING AFAR, A CANDLE LIGHT FOR VETERANS WHO ARE MISSING, AND THE HOME FIRES THAT BURN WHILE THE VETERANS ARE SERVING. THE MEMORIAL CONSISTS OF 6 GRANITE PANELS. THE CENTER PANEL REPRESENTS THE UNITED STATES, AND THE FIVE PANELS SURROUNDING IT REPRESENT EACH OF THE FIVE MILITARY BRANCHES – ARMY, MARINES, NAVY, COAST GUARD, AND AIR FORCE. AT THE BASE OF EACH PANEL REPRESENTING THE MILITARY BRANCHES IS A BRONZE MEDALLION WITH THE INSIGNIA OF EACH BRANCH. SIX GRANITE BENCHES LINE THE WALKWAY TO THE MEMORIAL. FIVE ARE INSCRIBED WITH THE NAME, FOUNDING DATE, AND FLAG OF THAT BRANCH OF SERVICE. THE SIXTH BENCH IS INSCRIBED WITH THE PRISONER OF WAR/MISSING IN ACTION (POW/MIA) FLAG AND DECLARATION “YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN.” DEDICATED ON JULY 4, 2006, THE FREEDOM FLAME WAS BUILT WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC AND IS A MEMORIAL FOR ALL VETERANS WHO HAVE SERVED. The 6 flagpoles lining the walkway fly the flags of the 5 military branches of service, and the POW/MIA flag. The lectern displays The Great Seal Of The United States, and the westernmost flagpole flies the American Flag, above a bench situated at its base, among decorative plantings. During the hours of darkness, the American Flag, and the “Flame” are lighted. The “Flame” is lit by special, colored, intermittent, low-lighting, to portray a “flickering” flame. The project to establish the memorial was initiated by Dr. Gene Hoyt, whose many contributions included raising funds in excess of $75,000 for construction. The memorial was designed by Eve Morgan. SI Memorials – Tulsa Monument Company of Tulsa, Oklahoma was responsible for construction. The date of installation was June 29, 2006.