History Colorado is working to repair and restore Lincoln Veterans Memorial Park monuments that have been vandalized and damaged by Colorado’s weather conditions.
“We've got some conservation work that's been ongoing for a few weeks now, but in particular, we've got four different monuments that we've chosen for conservation that we're prioritizing," Mark Nelson, History Colorado’s head of collections management and registration, said. "So, we've chosen them for their significance and their connection to Colorado veterans and honoring their service.”
▶️ WATCH: Denver7's Micah Smith reports on History Colorado's effort to restore the memorials
Nelson said History Colorado hired the company Pacific Coast Conservation to assess the monuments, determine the best methods for restoration, and complete repairs.
“All these monuments are outside, they're subject to the kind of the Colorado weather and the extremes that we have here in Colorado. And so it really takes its toll. And so, a lot of these were very hard to read, chipped. They were just in general, really in need of some general maintenance and conservation,” Nelson said. “Generally speaking, though, there's been a lot of graffiti on a number of these pieces that need to be cleaned off, so they've been undertaking that kind of work.”
Nelson said most of the restoration work on the four monuments was completed just in time for the Fourth of July.
“That's not a coincidence, we've chosen July Fourth as a way to commemorate, which is a really big year in history. It's the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It's also the 150th anniversary of Colorado statehood,” Nelson said. “There are over 15 plaque statues, monuments here on the Capitol grounds, and we'll be addressing those in the coming months and years going ahead.”
A few months ago, Colorado state lawmakers passed legislation making History Colorado stewards for the monuments and statues on Capitol grounds. The legislation included funding for continuous restoration work.
“I am so grateful. This should be a place where our community gathers for celebration, for remembering,” Rebecca Kim, chair of the Colorado Fallen Heroes Memorial Fund, said. “Sometimes we can't control some of the effects of Colorado's weather on the memorials, but when we have graffiti or litter that's left at the memorial site, it is very disheartening.”
Kim’s brother, Captain Russell Rippettoe, was killed in Iraq in 2003.
“As a Gold Star family member, one of our biggest fears is that our loved ones will be forgotten. So, I think that Colorado having a memorial on Capitol grounds that says that we will never forget is incredibly meaningful and important. Not only to our generation but to future generations,” Kim said.
The monuments at Lincoln Veterans Memorial Park are now a part of History Colorado’s collection which includes more than 15 million individual items.
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