West Des Moines, IA

Folded Flags is the first component installed as part of Veterans Parkway enhancements, which will be the first project of its kind in the Des Moines metro area, enhancing an entire roadway that will be 11.5 miles long with the addition of public art. Veterans Parkway will be the major spine of a roadway system that will serve an entire area of West Des Moines.

Public meetings were held in 2017 where citizen input was gathered that helped shape enhancement designs. These meetings were attended by neighbors living adjacent to Veterans Parkway, City employees, and local veterans groups. From these meetings, Folded Flags was identified as the inaugural piece of the entire project.

Folded Flags with its 15 individual standing, folded flags visually attracts the attention of commuters and trail users during night and day. The City of
West Des Moines’ Public Arts Advisory Commission approved the sculpture
in the fall of 2017, and City Council approval followed in the spring of 2018.
Folded Flags was officially dedicated at a public event on the evening of June 14, 2019.

Funding for Folded Flags was provided by the City of West Des Moines Capitol Improvement Program. Partial funding was also provided by a 2018 BRAVO Greater Des Moines Project Grant.

Read a blog post about Folded Flags written by Holly Reid from Shive-Hattery, Inc.