Kern Veterans Memorial, Bakersfield

The Kern Veterans Memorial is a monument located in Kern County, California. It honors all Kern County residents who served in the armed forces, both in peacetime and in war. It is located in downtown Bakersfield. The memorial is adjacent to the Kern County Visitors Bureau, Bakersfield Amtrak Station, and Beale Memorial Library. It is also in between the two segments of Mill Creek.

The memorial was designed by John Cohrs. It is a circular plaza, with two paths. The outer path is level while the inner path ascends to a second level. In the center is a fountain, with both granite and glass spiraling upward to a point. The inscription on the granite reads “To honor all those who served.” At night, lights in the fountain reflect off of the glass in rotating colors of red, white, and blue. The fountain is also used to cover the noise of the busy Truxtun Ave, which is directly adjacent.

Along the outer path of the memorial are nine flags. They are: United States of America, State of California, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Merchant Marines, and POW/MIA. In between the flag poles will be the wall of valor. It list the names of those people who were killed or missing in action during wartime. The names are etched in glass panels, and painted in gold for visibility.