Located on the east side of Bayliss Park in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Veterans Plaza contains many monuments honoring Veterans dating as far back as the Civil War.

Lined with brick walking trails, this plaza features three lifelike bronze sculptures. Positioned beside a wall of Veterans’ names is a bronze of a younger man holding the arm of an elderly woman, who is pointing out a name on the wall. A bronze statue of a soldier in uniform honors those Veterans from the Pottawattamie County who were killed in action in the Vietnam War. Also featured in the plaza is a bronze of a young boy holding the folded American Flag, as a remembrance of his loved one lost in war. In addition to the names of those who served our country, “The Glory of Their Spirit,” a poem by Richard W. Peterson, is etched into the memorial wall.

A long, narrow, brick walkway leads to a tall pillar that marks the final resting place of Colonel William Kinsman, who was mortally wounded during the Civil War. A resident of Council Bluffs, he was commander of a regiment who fought valiantly against the Confederates in the Battle of Big Black River Bridge. As his last words requested, he was buried alongside his brothers on the field of his last battle in 1863. Despite this, his surviving comrades remained adamant that his remains be returned to Council Bluffs. After many failed attempts to locate them, years later. Colonel Kinsman’s remains were finally found, returned home and laid to rest again on May 17, 1902 at the dedication of his memorial.

Another monument in Bayliss Park, dedicated in 1926, honors the Woman’s Relief Corps of1861-1865. The Corps, created by President Abraham Lincoln, was the official women’s auxiliary founded during the Civil War to provide aid to Veterans and their families. It was also created to help ensure that the historic sites and memory of those who served during the war would be preserved for future generations. To save the hallowed grounds from being redeveloped for other uses, the Woman’s Relief Corps worked to pay for the land to preserve them and turn them into memorial parks and designated historical sites.