Eternal Flame
Chicago, Illinois
In a corner of Daley Plaza, a barely noticeable flame, about the size of a stove burner, flickers under a metal mesh centered in a bronze disk on a granite slab. This is Chicago's "Eternal Flame," a memorial to fallen warriors and those who have served in the US military. Contrary to its current appearance, it was not designed as a pigeon warmer.
The Eternal Flame was lit on August 22, 1972, dedicated by Mayor Richard J. Daley in Civic Center Plaza. The plaque reads: "Eternal Flame in memory of the men and women who have served in our armed forces from the Revolutionary War to present. Army, Marine, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Guard, Reserves and Merchant Marines."
The flame has burned ever since. The metal fence around creates a natural haven for pigeons, so the entire memorial is nearly always splotched with white droppings. The city occasionally power washes, but it's one battle that can't be won.