Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Gov. Mark Gordon head a large group of national and local dignitaries attending the dedication of the Path of Honor – Wind River Veterans Memorial Thursday morning.
The event will occur at the south edge of Fort Washakie near the Frank Wise Center at 10:30 a.m.
It consists of four large stone tablets with images carved in them signifying the major wars endured by the United States. Indians from the Wind River Reservation have a long tradition of serving in the military. It is estimated the Native Americans enlist at a rate five times greater than other ethnic groups.
The project has been years in the making. Some of the major donors to make it a reality include the Hughes Charitable Foundation, High Country (Connell), the Mantegazza family, Rocky Mountain Pre-Mix, SDI Contractors, Central Bank and Trust, Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund, and the Wyoming Humanities Council.
The artwork was done by Wyoming artist Jon Cox.
One of the organizers of the event, former State Rep. Scott Ratliff, confirmed that Haaland will be in attendance.
The event will be livestreamed on the project’s web site at wrrvetmemorial.org.
