Monument of States
Monument of States
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.0
87 reviews
Excellent
25
Very good
40
Average
18
Poor
2
Terrible
2
Raymond573
New Haven, CT9 contributions
Dec 2019 • Solo
At the entrance to the newly renovated Lakefront Park stands a 25 foot (?) monument that contains all of the United States - what makes it interesting aside from its size is that each state placard is made out of material from that state. It's fun to park and see if you can find your state. The Lakefront Park is also scenic and walking along its paved edge you can see alligators, turtles and various birds.
Written 3 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DeanHey
Rock Hill, NY29 contributions
Feb 2015 • Couples
While in Kissimmee, Florida, my sister, her husband, Jill and I went to look at this extraordinary monument located in Kissimmee's old town section. We didn't know what to expect, but when we got there we got a chance to walk around and around this tall four-sided structure built of materials donated from each of the 50 states including a real shoe, a human skull, rocks of all different shapes and sizes, each signed (in the cement) by the people who donated the space.
Here is a quote from their website which may explain it a bit better:
"Begun in 1942 after the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, the Monument of States was the vision of Dr. Charles Bressler-Pettis, a local tourism booster, who wanted a physical symbol of American unity in the dark days of early World War II. He wrote letters to every governor to send him local rocks. The donations arrived in a variety of formats: blocks of native granite, chunks of quartz, small boulders, fossils, hunks of old buildings. President Franklin D. Roosevelt sent a rock from his Hyde Park estate. One contributor sent a human skull."
And so on. To me, the most amazing thing about the very tall four-sided monument was that each side faced the true-direction which it was labeled. That is, one side faced true-NORTH, one side face true-EAST, one side faced true-SOUTH and one side faced true-WEST.
This is truly an amazing monument. I recommend that visitors who check it out will really enjoy it as I did.
Here is a quote from their website which may explain it a bit better:
"Begun in 1942 after the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, the Monument of States was the vision of Dr. Charles Bressler-Pettis, a local tourism booster, who wanted a physical symbol of American unity in the dark days of early World War II. He wrote letters to every governor to send him local rocks. The donations arrived in a variety of formats: blocks of native granite, chunks of quartz, small boulders, fossils, hunks of old buildings. President Franklin D. Roosevelt sent a rock from his Hyde Park estate. One contributor sent a human skull."
And so on. To me, the most amazing thing about the very tall four-sided monument was that each side faced the true-direction which it was labeled. That is, one side faced true-NORTH, one side face true-EAST, one side faced true-SOUTH and one side faced true-WEST.
This is truly an amazing monument. I recommend that visitors who check it out will really enjoy it as I did.
Written 3 February 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael W
Osceola280 contributions
Feb 2020
We were driving down to the park and passed this. Was very interesting. Has stones from the states and several countries
Written 26 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
babs12858
Palmerton, PA561 contributions
Jan 2020
We went to the Lakeside park in Kissimmee and on the corner sat this statue. I did some research and found out the each one of the stones came from each of the (then) 48 states after WW II.
Written 23 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Justine J
London, UK88 contributions
Aug 2019 • Family
Different.
It is amazing to think that whilst the world was in turmoil effort went into this. Disney Also contributed as they came to the area.
It is amazing to think that whilst the world was in turmoil effort went into this. Disney Also contributed as they came to the area.
Written 27 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
m71fland
Saint Charles, MO79 contributions
Mar 2017 • Couples
We spent our day away from the theme parks and spring training games exploring historic downtown Kissimmee. Park your car for free, and walk the downtown streets and don't miss the horse sign on the hardware store! Then turn toward the lake with the unpronounceable name, and you will see a wonderful little park. And that's were one of the most unusual monuments in the United States is found. Built by a local travel club and supported by citizens from across the United States and several foreign countries, it includes special stones and rocks found in each state, along with symbols of that state's heritage. For instance, we found our Missouri stone, which included zinc and lead in its "rock". The monument was completed in 1943, and it is kept in excellent condition. Good for the kids to see something creative and historic like this!
Written 27 March 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jennifer G
9 contributions
Dec 2018 • Friends
If you love funky roadside attractions like I do, you'll love it. Bring your binoculars so you can see the stones at the tippy top.
Written 22 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kathyc45140
Conway, SC80 contributions
Feb 2019 • Couples
I read about this place and just had to go see it for myself. Back in 1942, Dr. Charles Bressler-Pettis wrote to the governors of al the states and asked them to send him a rock from their states. He then had the rocks of all kinds embedded and mortared into concrete slabs. Then he built them into a large tower. Each slab says where it came from and who sent it. Of course, a lot of them were too high to read, but it was very interesting to move around the tower looking for rocks from states where I have lived or visited. It's located in a nice peaceful park setting in the old part of Kissimmee.
Written 17 February 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
runner24
Orlando, FL1,929 contributions
Nov 2018 • Couples
We were on a Friday Sunrail adventure and were walking to a local restaurant for lunch when we happened upon this thing. It stopped us in our tracks. I seem to remember reading something about this, years ago, in the Orlando Sentinel. It's really quite an eclectic monument and about as far from the theme park experience as one could get. I am aware of it's origin after December 7th, 1941, to honor our fellow countrymen. But it looks like it was designed and built by committee. I've never seen anything like it. It's worth a visit for the photo opportunity.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Written 13 November 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Trek-Always
Alpharetta, GA2,522 contributions
Mar 2018 • Couples
Never seen anything else like this so it is unique and interesting. That said, it is huge, not attractive, and feels oddly out of place. It is not above average versus other things to see and do in the area. Worth a stop.
If this review is helpful then please indicate so below.
If this review is helpful then please indicate so below.
Written 16 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I was wondering if there is a parking lot near the monument? We will be in the area in the evening and I wonder if the park is open in the evening? Is it safe to visit it in the evening?
Thanks
Written 7 May 2024
There is parking on the street. Was plenty nearby when we went there. I think it is safe in the evening but I don't know if it is well lit or not.
Written 8 May 2024
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