MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – Marquette marked the Fourth of July with more than fireworks, dedicating a brand new monument to the men and women who made it possible.
The Freedom Monument was officially dedicated this morning at Harlow Park’s Veterans Memorial Mall, a set of granite podiums made possible by the Katers family, inspired by Ron Katers, a man committed to helping others understand their history and civic opportunities. Community members gathered to honor the occasion, with the national anthem ringing out over the park.
Past Commander of American Legion Post 44, Michael Trickey says this monument isn’t about celebrating war, it’s about something deeper. “This veterans memorial is not a war memorial, it doesn’t glamorize war, we don’t glamorize it,” says Trickey. “What we do is we recognize that’s the human struggle, and that’s the only reason we’ve been able to celebrate 250 years.”
The Freedom Monument will serve as a space for education and civic engagement, open to community groups and classrooms for years to come.
