Gold Star Memorial A tribute to Gold Star families
Peoria Heights, Peoria County, Illinois
Marker Inscription
Gold Star Memorial A tribute to Gold Star families whose loved one paid the ultimate price defending the United States of America sponsored by Peoria Garden Club in cooperation with America's Gold Star Families
Erected by National Garden Clubs, Inc.
The Story
Dedicated in 2016, this Gold Star Memorial honors Gold Star families whose loved ones died defending the United States. The gold star traces to World War I, when families replaced the blue star in their service flags with gold to mark a death in uniform. Sponsored by the Peoria Garden Club, the marker carries that tradition of remembrance into central Illinois.
Why it matters
Gold Star Memorials ensure that the sacrifice of military families remains visible in the public landscape, drawing on a symbol of loss more than a century old.
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