From: Chris Edwards Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2020 12:31 PM To: Small, Jeffrey D; Williams, Timothy G Subject: [EXTERNAL] Response to Ntl Garden of American Heroes RFI
Tim, Jeff,
This is an AWESOME project. But, it needs to be done right. It can’t be done in a “small-minded” manner. It must be truly grand. This requires hard-core, mission focused, patriotic minded people who love our country and the heroic people that made it so great for so long and want to put it all on huge display. I’d like to be one of them. My recommendations for location and who to include follow.
The Executive Order seems to want a holistic inclusion of Americans to honor for their contributions to our history and society. I couldn’t see all the responses from governors and other officials that were sent. However, I think we need to think bigger than what I saw. I comprised a list of historical, political, industrial, scientific, medical, pioneers and cultural figures to round out people for consideration (there absolutely could be more). Since we are aiming to honor the “greats” of America, there are a lot of people to include. I believe this is also a means to show the nation, and the world, the greatness of America throughout the centuries. It could become one of the most visited sites in America that educates people of all ages (and God knows we need a lot more of that). And frankly, with the trillions of dollars being put on the table, now would be a good time to reserve several billion for something that will last for centuries to come. Projects like this are invaluable to engendering patriot pride in hundreds of millions of Americans for centuries. The federal Mall area in DC is pretty awesome. But, it wasn’t cheap. But it is worth it to inspire millions every year.
I included some of the people listed in the Executive Order because they were so phenomenal. I would dare to say that there are some historical figures that are deserving of more than one statue or remembrance. Some “groups” could be incorporated in a larger “theme” depiction (signers of the Declaration of Independence, Buffalo soldiers, Gemini astronauts etc.) I’d be happy to participate in the planning for how to best depict them.
I’m not so sure we need a natural back drop (Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Glacier Ntl etc.) Instead, let me propose we design a park to best display what we want to show and how to show it. We can add in lakes, waterfalls, hikes and vistas with great inspiring views etc. Since it will be an outdoor park, I would suggest a southern state like TX (esp. around the San Antonio area where you don’t get hit with hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, snow/blizzards, mudslides etc. Also, it is close to Austin, Corpus Christi and reasonable driving distance to Dallas/Fort Worth).
I would also consider creating replicas of buildings like Independence Hall, MT Vernon, Monticello etc. These could be used to display history and also serve as visitor centers.
Here are my recommendations for American Heroes that should be included in the National Garden:
Presidents
George Washington John Adams Thomas Jefferson James Madison James Monroe Andrew Jackson James Polk Abraham Lincoln Ulysses S Grant Teddy Roosevelt Calvin Coolidge FDR Truman Dwight Eisenhower JFK Gerald Ford Ronald Reagan
First Ladies
Martha Washington Abigail Adams Dolly Madison Eleanor Roosevelt Jackie Kennedy Nancy Reagan Melania Trump
Founding Fathers
Continental Congress II ALL OF THEM – in one setting signing the Declaration of Independence
Revolutionary War Military
LGEN George Washington MG Henry Knox Marquis de Lafayette MG Anthony Wayne MG Robert Howe MG Nathanael Greene BG Benjamin Lincoln BG Richard Montgomery Major Benjamin Tallmadge – George Washington’s spy master Baron Von Steuben – Professionalized Continental soldiers via discipline and drill Casimir Pulaski – Father of the American Calvary Tadeusz Kosciuszko
Other Revolutionary War figures
Sons of Liberty Thomas Paine Crispus Attucks Sam Adams Molly Pitcher Nathaniel Hale Patriot soldiers who captured British spy Major John Andre with plans for taking West Point
Other pre-Civil War people
CAPT John Paul Jones CAPT John Barry Lewis and Clark and Sacagawea Francis Scott Key Daniel Webster Henry Clay John C Calhoun Annie Oakley Wyatt Earp Sam Houston William Travis
Civil War
Gen US Grant Gen Tecumseh Sherman Gen McClellan Gen Mead The Pioneers who settled the middle of the country All Railroad workers who built the Transcontinental Railroads COL “Black Jack” Pershing and the Buffalo Soldiers
WW I
General John J. “Black Jack”
WW II
General George Marshall General Eisenhower General Patton General Omar Bradley Admiral Nimitz Admiral Halsey Admiral Kinkaid Admiral Spruance GEN Douglas McArthur Admiral Rickover Albert Einstein J. Robert Oppenheimer
Korean War
General Chesty Puller
Vietnam
General Westmoreland The soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines
Iraq War I
General Schwartzkopff
Justices of the Supreme Court
Justice John Marshall – “created” the federal Judiciary roles and procedures Justice Thurgood Marshall Justice Sandra Day O’Connor Justice Clarence Thomas Justice Scalia (Could of course be more)
Pioneers/People Who did it First
Lewis and Clark (Expedition) Charles Lindberg BGen Chuck Yeager -broke the sound barrier Admiral Bird - Expedition to the North Pole and South Pole Gemini Astronauts (all together around the Gemini capsule) Neil Armstrong (with Buzz Aldrin) next to the lunar module on moon
Inventors
Eli Whitney Robert Fulton Samuel Morse Alexander Graham Bell Isaac Singer George Eastman William Le Baron Jenney Thomas Edison Nicola Tesla George Westinghouse Henry Ford Dr. Jonas Salk Steve Jobs Bill Gates
Literary Writers
Washington Irving Samuel Clemens James Michener Tom Clancy Gene Roddenberry
Artists
Norman Rockwell Georgia O’Keefe Edward Hopper Jackson Pollack Paul Cadmus Mel Edwards Andy Warhol
Cultural Icons
Helen Keller Babe Ruth Ty Cobb Joe DiMaggio Jim Thorpe Jesse Owens Bob Hope Walt Disney Glen Miller Lucille Ball Mr. Rogers John Wayne Clint Eastwood Elvis Presley Johnnie Cash Wild Bill Hickok PT Barnum Arnold Schwarzenegger Tiger Woods Jack Nicolas Arnold Palmer The 1980 American Olympic Hockey Team
Titans of American Industry Vanderbilt Rockefeller JP Morgan Charles Schwab Westinghouse Carnegie Mellon Henry Ford Henry Kaiser Donald Trump
Hope this helps.
Chris Edwards Assemblyman Nevada House District 19