Former hospital transformed into memorial park
The idea started as an individual statue on a soon-to-be vacant lot. Joe Davis, Jeff Clements and other community members in Lamar wanted to honor veterans and community members on the 3.2 acres that once housed the community’s memorial hospital. They quickly learned that with the unwavering support of their community, a sole statue would just be the tip of the iceberg. More than $450,000 and countless volunteer hours later, a testament to courage and sacrifice occupies the site on the north side of Lamar.
The Barton County Memorial Park was dedicated in September 2022 and pays homage to all veterans — specifically the 69 Barton County men who lost their lives in World War II — and those who were cared for and worked inside the Barton County Memorial Hospital from 1949 through 2007.
Following World War II, county leaders wanted to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice by building a memorial hospital. “The nearest hospital was 30 minutes away in Carthage so that was something this area needed,” says Joe, president of the Barton County Memorial Park board and local historian.
After it became apparent assistance from the federal government wouldn’t be coming, residents answered the call. Voters passed a pair of bonds and more than 2,000 citizens donated an additional $75,000. The cornerstone was laid on the two-story, 25-bed Barton County Memorial Hospital in 1948.
The facility opened one year later and the hospital was an anchor in the community according to park board member and veteran Gordon Godfrey. “Nearly everyone has some sort of memory of the hospital,” says Gordon, who was born in the hospital. “This park is a great way to honor our veterans and anybody that had anything to do with the hospital.”
A new hospital was constructed in 2007 just off of nearby Interstate 49. The original building — which was now in the middle of a neighborhood — had served the community for nearly 60 years, and sat vacant for more than a decade.
The building was slated to be razed in 2019. Joe, Jeff and Gordon all live a few blocks from the old hospital and wanted to find a way to preserve the memories and tributes held within those old walls. The county owned the land, so Joe and others approached the county commission about the land. “We just asked them to consider keeping this area a memorial to those 69 guys before they turned them into lots for houses,” Joe says. “After some convincing and neighborhood canvassing we came up with a plan and they granted us permission.”
The new park board incorporated that year and the hard work of fundraising, grant writing and planning began. “The timeline just developed as we went,” Joe says. “At first, we thought maybe a statue in the middle or something. One thing led to another. One idea led to another. The community just kept supporting us and the project grew to what it is now.”
The park is once again an anchor of the community. The 69 Barton County men who died in World War II are commemorated on the park’s southwest corner. Newly replaced sidewalks feature benches and form a trapezoid that is filled with 69 markers listing each man’s name, rank, branch and date of death. In front of the markers is a replica of the plaque that listed all 69 men inside the hospital and the Stars and Stripes flies over the markers atop the original 50-foot flagpole from 1949. “That’s our most important part of the park,” Joe says.
Other areas of the park include a Walk of Honor with engraved granite pavers, which leads to the War Memorial featuring seven granite triangle monuments. Six are engraved with a description of a major U.S. conflict and its effects on Barton County and the seventh is a history of the site. The monuments are surrounded by six flags, each representing a different military branch. Other spots in the park include the original 1948 hospital cornerstone, a World War II-era Sherman tank, a pavilion dedicated to the nurses and the anchor from the U.S.S. Peacock.
The park isn’t just a place for reflection; it’s also a community hub. It hosts annual signature events such as the Willie Graham Memorial Car Show (May 4), Memorial Day Ceremony (May 27), Antique Tractor Show (Aug. 24 during the Lamar Free Fair) and Veterans Day Candlelight Ceremony (Nov. 11).
Last year was the inaugural Veterans Day ceremony which highlighted the importance the park has to those in the community. They decided to put approximately 750 candles throughout the park before turning out the lights and reading the names of all 757 veterans represented in the park through memorials and engraved pavers.
“We weren’t sure how long it was going to take us to set up all these candles for the ceremony and if we’d have enough help,” Gordon says. “Then all of a sudden we had volunteers practically tripping over each other. It was the highlight of the year for sure.”
The park was built and is maintained entirely through the nonprofit board via donations, fundraisers, grants and selling engraved pavers and bricks to be installed in the park. Joe says that communal spirit and shared purpose only further the original reason for the hospital.
“It was important for us to keep this as a memorial; that’s the whole reason the hospital was built,” Joe says. “The whole community came together to build and fund the hospital decades ago. It’s a special place. I’m thankful the community came together again to build this park.”
For more information on the park or to learn about donation opportunities, call 417-295-1020, email bcmpark108@gmail.com or visit lamarmo.com/bcmp. The park is located at 108 Gulf St. in Lamar.