Dorris Centennial Wall - Dorris, CA
N 41° 57.805 W 121° 55.065
10T E 589681 N 4646280
This centennial wall is located within Dorris Veterans Park and next to Dorris City Hall in downtown Dorris (Hwy 97).
Waymark Code: WMGYA5
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 04/23/2013
Views: 5
Visitors to Dorris and travelers passing through town can't help but notice a tall flagpole with a humungous flag that waves proudly and located in Veterans Park next to City Hall. The flag was dedicated to all of America's Veterans on June 2, 1996. In 2008, Dorris wanted to build a centennial wall behind the flag to commemorate Dorris' 100 years of being incorporated, from 1908 to 2008. Dorris was able to obtain the funding to create this commemorative wall through the Dorris Lions Club and excerpts from a
website I located read:
Dorris Centennial Celebration Project ~
Adopted by the Full Council, this project assisted the Dorris Lions Club and the community of Dorris to plan and seek funds to commemorate the Dorris Centennial Celebration. Local artist, Ralph Starritt, was commissioned to create a commemorative statue and historical depiction of Dorris over the past 100 years. Application for TE funds has been made to finance the landscape and beautification project.
This wall is made of lava rock which can be found in abundance within the Lava Beds National Monument, a few miles east of here. Artist Ralph Starritt utilized welded metal to create a cityscape representation of Dorris on the wall. Above the artistic rendering reads 'DORRIS Est. 1908'. The wall does a good job of providing a courtyard-like feeling when you walk through the property. There is also another metal-welded sculpture of a bald eagle taking flight, also created by Ralph Starritt.
Next to the wall exists a mural made out of tiles and which depict a scene of Dorris from 1908 above a scene of Dorris in 2008. Next to the mural are a number of tiles of individuals and businesses who helped to promote the centennial wall.