320 W. Court Street
Paragould, Arkansas

The Paragould War Memorial is a 7-foot bronze Statue of Liberty replica associated with the post-First World War movement to memorialize Arkansans who served in that war. It has the distinction of being the oldest Statue of Liberty outside this date of New York. The Paragould War Memorial was one of eight sculptures erected across the state in the 10 to 15 years following the end of the war in 1919. Seven of these depict "doughboy" figures. Only the Paragould War Memorial deviates from this trend with its depiction of the Statue of Liberty - a figure symbolic of the friendship between the U.S. and France. American Legion records show that 476 men from Greene County served in the First World War. Forty of them lost their lives. To honor those men, $2,000 was raised by public subscription for a memorial. The statue was created by artist John Paulding and cast by the American Art Foundry in Chicago. It was unveiled on during ceremonies on Armistice Day, November 11, 1924, before a crowd of 5,000. The ceremonies began with an elaborate parade. The featured speaker of the day was the Hon. Harry L. Ponder of Walnut Ridge, who reviewed past wars, praised the spirit of the soldiers, and explained that "this memorial is an outstanding page in the history of Greene County and an honor to those who gave their lives on foreign soil and a reminder to the gold star mothers and fathers that their sons died for a worthy cause." Marble slabs were added in the 1940s, inscribed with the names of Greene County men killed in America's more recent wars. The Paragould War Memorial was listed on the National Register on June 20, 1997.

Visiting the Paragould War Memorial
The Paragould War Memorial is an outdoor memorial that can be viewed at any time.
There is no charge to visit the Paragould War Memorial.