Following World War I, virtually every city and town in the country erected a memorial to the veterans who made the supreme sacrifice during World War I.
After years of planning, a site was selected in 1930.
Dedicated on March 22, 1931, the "Gold Star Court of Honor" was centered in Spohn Park, just below Corpus Christi Cathedral. Also included were memorial flagpoles, a memorial "tree of honor" that was to remain perpetually lit, a WWI cannon, and eight inch diameter bronze medallions placed atop concrete pedestals, listing the names of each of the 35 men from Nueces County who had lost his life during the war.
The medallions were placed just below the Bluff Balustrade, stretching from Mestina Street to Blucher Street.
Thousands of people attended the parade and dedication ceremony, including military units from all of the branches of service.
Over the years, the beautiful memorial fell into disrepair and its significance seemed to wane after the terrible losses suffered in a Second World War. Photos that I took in the 1980’s showed a memorial that had been totally neglected.
There were never flags flying from the leaning flagpoles, the cannon had been melted down during WWII, the "tree of honor" was rusted and had not been lit in years, and the tarnished medallions could barely be read.
In the late 1990’s, the CC Area Heritage Society decided to do something about it. They petitioned the Texas Historical Commission and received funds to restore the memorial to its original glory.
Completed in 2000, the newly restored memorial included straightened flagpoles that actually fly flags, a new, beautifully lit "tree of honor" (relocated to Spohn Park from the top of the Bluff), and restored medallions that can now be read. In addition, a large granite block was placed in the park, listing the names of our WWI deceased, including four names that had been inadvertently left off of the original memorial.
More than 100 years after World War I, the heroes who gave their lives once again have a memorial worthy of their sacrifice.
Robert Parks is a special contributor to KRIS 6 News. Parks was a history teacher at Carroll High School for 19 years and is now retired. His knowledge of Corpus Christi history makes him a unique expert in the subject.
