Tucked away in College Station’s Veterans Park and Athletic Complex (3101 Harvey Rd. ) is a hidden gem – a 12-acre site dedicated to veterans from our nation’s major wars. The Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial (BVVM), includes life-sized statues, a Wall of Honor, interpretive panels and memorial sites.
Chartered on July 17, 2000 as a non-profit corporation, the BVVM is supported by generous community residents, organizations, and partners, including Brazos County and the municipalities of Bryan and College Station. The BVVM’s all-volunteer board of directors proudly contributes their time and resources to salute our veterans. Their mission is to proactively pay tribute to veterans through an educational venue where future generations can learn that freedom comes with a heavy price.
Former President George H.W. Bush helped dedicate the BVVM on Nov. 10, 2002. Bush said “The Brazos Valley community can stand proud. The names that mark the memorial showcase the sons and daughters who gave dedicated service to our nation so that future generations can share the freedoms we enjoy. Their task was great and their sacrifice even greater, but their legacy stands firm, and their memories burn bright.”
Bush later said the BVVM is of similar quality to those on the famed mall in Washington, D.C.
Louis L. Adam Memorial Plaza & Wall of Honor
In May 2002, Don Adam, chairman of The Adam Corporation, provided the first major gift to the memorial. In gratitude to Mr. Adam, BVVM’s main plaza was named “Louis L. Adam Memorial Plaza” in honor of his father, a U.S. Army veteran. Within the Louis L. Adam Memorial Plaza sits the 250-ton red granite Wall of Honor, which serves as the memorial’s focal point.
Lynn Stuart Pathway & Memorial Sites
Named after Brig. Gen. Louis Lynn Stuart (U.S. Army), the Lynn Stuart Pathway is a half-mile trail connecting the BVVM memorials. The pathway features interpretive panels with historical background for each conflict, granite markers, and steel benches adorned with donor plaques. Of the trail’s 18 memorial sites, a majority have life-sized, bronze statues designed and sculpted by Navasota’s J. Payne Lara.