Frequently Asked Questions
What’s happening with the hillside memorial?
The iconic landmark started in 2006 to remember the American soldiers who died serving in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The late Johnson and Louise Clark gave permission for the markers' placement on their private property. The property was sold in 2023 by the Clark Family. Under the new ownership, the memorial will remain, under the care of the non-profit Lafayette Hillside Memorial. Currently there are no plans to change the site. Maintenance is our primary focus.
The memorial is a globally recognized landmark and a cultural asset to the Bay Area and to the City of Lafayette. In consideration of what the memorial has come to mean as a place of remembering, we are internally exploring possibilities for improvements that would enhance the message of peace and the public experience of the memorial. The beauty and impact of the memorial as it stands in its current and ever changing form continues to inspire our work as we plan for its sustainable future.
Why are we keeping the crosses and other symbols?
Originally, the founders of the memorial intended for the crosses and other markers to remain standing until the wars in the Middle East were over, and soldiers returned home. These wars are ongoing, as should be the mindfulness that soldiers are still risking their lives, and losing their lives, far away from home. We must also be mindful of the fact that many returning war veterans are at high risk of taking their own lives – another unseen consequence of war. To remember and honor the lives lost and risked in war, we intend to sustain the Lafayette Hillside Memorial, now and for the future, respectively.
How is the Lafayette Hillside Memorial funded?
The memorial is funded through donations. Contributions to the memorial are used for maintenance of the site including repair, painting, reinforcement and replacement of the markers as well as weed abatement and any other necessary vegetation management. Less than 10% of contributions are used for administrative costs such as this website and our community outreach.
The Lafayette Hillside Memorial is a non-profit organization which makes your deductions tax-deductible. You can make a donation online or by check made out to Lafayette Hillside Memorial and sent to 1068 N. Thompson Rd, Lafayette, CA 94549.
Please consider making a donation - any amount is appreciated.
How many crosses and other symbols are on the hillside, and do the numbers of crosses and other symbols represent each death?
Although the Memorial started out with a marker installed to represent each life lost, the number of crosses and other symbolic markers, due to space and fire safety constraints, did not match the total number of lives lost in the wars. That number is too big. We do not have an exact count of the number of symbols currently on the hillside, but it is in the thousands.
In 2022, the number tracking lives lost in the war was replaced with the simple, but important message, "REMEMBER".
Why doesn’t the Lafayette Hillside Memorial look like other wartime memorial sites?
The Memorial started as an organic, passionate idea to bring attention to the loss of young lives due to the war in Iraq, and eventually also Afghanistan. Initiated by Jeff Heaton, a contractor in Lafayette, with support of property owners Louise and Johnson Clark, the placement of the markers was neither planned nor designed with any thought other than to ensure the markers were easily visible from the busy highway, to all passersby, as they went about their everyday lives. The thought was to ensure we do not forget the costs of war.
The simple form of the symbolic markers, the non-uniform placement of the markers, the natural aging of the materials, the seasonal changing of colors, the growth and cutting of the grasses – all are simple, yet impactful reminders that reflect the enduring loss, even as time, and all of us in our busy lives, move on.
Can I personalize a cross or symbol?
Yes, a marker can be personalized. Please contact us at [email protected] so we can guide you on selection of an existing marker to personalize or provide a marker that you can personalize off-site and that we can place within the memorial. As the memorial is sited on private property, we ask that you notify us to place a marker and that no existing marker is moved.
Are there events at the Lafayette Hillside Memorial?
Yes, the Lafayette Hillside Memorial continues to be the site of special events each year, on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Friends and families of fallen soldiers, veterans, interested members of the general public have gathered or have spoken at these events. A range of civic leaders, from City Council Members to State and Federal legislators, have also attended events to speak and pay their respects at the site. Poetry is read, songs are sung, thoughts are shared in honor of those who have died and those who continue to serve in these wars.
Are veterans groups involved in the Lafayette Hillside Memorial?
Yes, there are veteran groups and groups that support our military veterans involved with the Memorial. Representatives of some of these groups are members of the Board and and continue to be core supporters of the mission of the Lafayette Hillside Memorial. These groups include Veterans for Peace and the John F. Kennedy University VALOR Center. One of our Board members is also a Gold Star Mother, who shares her valuable insight.
If you have a question that has not been answered here, please send us an email at [email protected] so we can be of assistance.
The iconic landmark started in 2006 to remember the American soldiers who died serving in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The late Johnson and Louise Clark gave permission for the markers' placement on their private property. The property was sold in 2023 by the Clark Family. Under the new ownership, the memorial will remain, under the care of the non-profit Lafayette Hillside Memorial. Currently there are no plans to change the site. Maintenance is our primary focus.
The memorial is a globally recognized landmark and a cultural asset to the Bay Area and to the City of Lafayette. In consideration of what the memorial has come to mean as a place of remembering, we are internally exploring possibilities for improvements that would enhance the message of peace and the public experience of the memorial. The beauty and impact of the memorial as it stands in its current and ever changing form continues to inspire our work as we plan for its sustainable future.
Why are we keeping the crosses and other symbols?
Originally, the founders of the memorial intended for the crosses and other markers to remain standing until the wars in the Middle East were over, and soldiers returned home. These wars are ongoing, as should be the mindfulness that soldiers are still risking their lives, and losing their lives, far away from home. We must also be mindful of the fact that many returning war veterans are at high risk of taking their own lives – another unseen consequence of war. To remember and honor the lives lost and risked in war, we intend to sustain the Lafayette Hillside Memorial, now and for the future, respectively.
How is the Lafayette Hillside Memorial funded?
The memorial is funded through donations. Contributions to the memorial are used for maintenance of the site including repair, painting, reinforcement and replacement of the markers as well as weed abatement and any other necessary vegetation management. Less than 10% of contributions are used for administrative costs such as this website and our community outreach.
The Lafayette Hillside Memorial is a non-profit organization which makes your deductions tax-deductible. You can make a donation online or by check made out to Lafayette Hillside Memorial and sent to 1068 N. Thompson Rd, Lafayette, CA 94549.
Please consider making a donation - any amount is appreciated.
How many crosses and other symbols are on the hillside, and do the numbers of crosses and other symbols represent each death?
Although the Memorial started out with a marker installed to represent each life lost, the number of crosses and other symbolic markers, due to space and fire safety constraints, did not match the total number of lives lost in the wars. That number is too big. We do not have an exact count of the number of symbols currently on the hillside, but it is in the thousands.
In 2022, the number tracking lives lost in the war was replaced with the simple, but important message, "REMEMBER".
Why doesn’t the Lafayette Hillside Memorial look like other wartime memorial sites?
The Memorial started as an organic, passionate idea to bring attention to the loss of young lives due to the war in Iraq, and eventually also Afghanistan. Initiated by Jeff Heaton, a contractor in Lafayette, with support of property owners Louise and Johnson Clark, the placement of the markers was neither planned nor designed with any thought other than to ensure the markers were easily visible from the busy highway, to all passersby, as they went about their everyday lives. The thought was to ensure we do not forget the costs of war.
The simple form of the symbolic markers, the non-uniform placement of the markers, the natural aging of the materials, the seasonal changing of colors, the growth and cutting of the grasses – all are simple, yet impactful reminders that reflect the enduring loss, even as time, and all of us in our busy lives, move on.
Can I personalize a cross or symbol?
Yes, a marker can be personalized. Please contact us at [email protected] so we can guide you on selection of an existing marker to personalize or provide a marker that you can personalize off-site and that we can place within the memorial. As the memorial is sited on private property, we ask that you notify us to place a marker and that no existing marker is moved.
Are there events at the Lafayette Hillside Memorial?
Yes, the Lafayette Hillside Memorial continues to be the site of special events each year, on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Friends and families of fallen soldiers, veterans, interested members of the general public have gathered or have spoken at these events. A range of civic leaders, from City Council Members to State and Federal legislators, have also attended events to speak and pay their respects at the site. Poetry is read, songs are sung, thoughts are shared in honor of those who have died and those who continue to serve in these wars.
Are veterans groups involved in the Lafayette Hillside Memorial?
Yes, there are veteran groups and groups that support our military veterans involved with the Memorial. Representatives of some of these groups are members of the Board and and continue to be core supporters of the mission of the Lafayette Hillside Memorial. These groups include Veterans for Peace and the John F. Kennedy University VALOR Center. One of our Board members is also a Gold Star Mother, who shares her valuable insight.
If you have a question that has not been answered here, please send us an email at [email protected] so we can be of assistance.
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