Arlington Southwest facts for kids
Arlington Southwest was a special memorial located in Brewster County, Texas. It was about 4 miles (6.4 km) east of Alpine along U.S. Highway 90. This memorial was created to honor soldiers from Texas who died during the invasion and occupation of Iraq in the early 21st century.
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About Arlington Southwest
This unique memorial was developed by a group called the Big Bend Veterans for Peace. It is believed to be the first permanent memorial of its kind. It was similar to temporary memorials like Arlington West in California, which were set up in 2003.
Designing the Memorial
The Arlington Southwest memorial covered about 2-acre (0.0081 km2) of land. It was designed by Vietnam veteran Tom Curry and local architect Mark Battista. The memorial was named after Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
What the Memorial Looked Like
Each part of the memorial looked like a gravestone. These gravestones were similar to those found in military cemeteries across the United States. They were made from a material called papercrete. When the memorial was officially opened on November 15, 2007, it had 367 gravestones. More gravestones were added as more Texan soldiers died during the war.
Why Arlington Southwest Was Created
The main goal of this memorial was to provide a place for people to remember. It honored both U.S. troops and Iraqi civilians who lost their lives during the Iraq War. The Veterans for Peace group chose to use gravestones for the Texas soldiers. They did this instead of using crosses for all American deaths. This choice was partly because they had fewer volunteers to build and take care of the memorial. It also helped make the space feel more personal for visitors.
The Memorial's Closure
In 2010, the Arlington Southwest memorial was closed. The private owner removed the gravestones and other items. Only the sign holder was left behind.
