Williamsville, New York: Patriots and Heroes Park (In Transition)

A variety of unique, colorful monuments pay tribute to everything from the Golden Gate Bridge to The Battle of the Bulge. Trashed by vandals in February 2023.

Theres a lot to unpack here! The official start of the walkway is right off the traffic circle in a very busy retail area (hotels, restaurants, IMAX theater, etc.). There's also no dedicated parking area for this park, so your best bet is to turn in at the traffic circle, then follow it around to park behind Tim Horton's. You'll cross the street and walk between monuments to get into the park, but it's better than trying to walk along the road.

There's a lot packed into this tiny space. An enormous American flag hovers over several elaborate pieces: a lifelike landscape of war, a 9/11 replica, a giant postcard of America, a statue of the creator and park designer, Russell Salvatore, and his own mausoleum (note: he IS still alive, BTW), a replica of the Tomb of the Unknowns, an enormous eagle over a Purple Heart medal, St. Michael the Archangel, even a statue of a horse that seems dedicated to Mr. Salvatore until you read the plaque showing it's really about a sheriff's mount that Mr. Salvatore offered to replace after it died in a car accident.

There are too many competing narratives to enjoy a quiet contemplation of any one of them, but if nothing more, it definitely shows both the fervent reverence and financial support that Russell Salvatore puts into everything he does.

Great memorial park to all wars and the 9/11 attack. I happened to be there on 9/11 for the special service to honor all people (service, EMT, firefighters, police, civilians) who died and those that gave aid and survived. This annual memorial service is well worth the time, with a flag corp, service men/women, police, firefighters present and singing the national anthem. A bagpipe musician led the procession that was both honoring and challenging.

The park also includes a memorial to the fifty people that were killed in the February 2, 2009, jet crash in Clarence Center, New York.

Great little park. It won't take more than five minutes to walk around, but the sculptures are cool -- in particular, the Golden Gate/Statue of Liberty/Niagara Falls/Capitol/Washington Monument piece.