Pico Rivera Purple Heart Monument
A city’s tribute to its residents wounded or killed in combat, dedicated at Veterans Memorial Plaza on May 26, 2026.
More Than a Hundred Veterans Came to See It
On May 26, 2026, veterans and their families filled Veterans Memorial Plaza to watch the city dedicate its new Purple Heart Monument. It was two years in the making. The Military Order of the Purple Heart named Pico Rivera a Purple Heart City in 2024, and the city decided the designation deserved more than a proclamation. It deserved granite.
“We have a large and proud veteran community here in the City of Pico Rivera,” City Manager Steve Carmona said at the dedication.
Cut from Black Granite
Across the top runs a band of etched stars, tri-tone work that catches the flag’s reflection in the polished stone. At the center, a sandblasted Purple Heart, the medal given to those wounded or killed in combat, carved large enough to read from across the plaza.
Along the base sit six bronze medallions, six inches each, one for every branch of the United States Armed Forces, from the Army to the Space Force. Beneath the medal, the inscription reads, “Honoring the Men and Women Wounded or Killed in Combat.”
A Purple Heart City Keeps Its Word
Veterans Memorial Plaza, across from Smith Park, is where Pico Rivera keeps the memory of its residents who served: those killed or wounded in combat, prisoners of war, the missing, and recipients of the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, and Silver Star. The Purple Heart Monument joined them after the Military Order of the Purple Heart recognized Pico Rivera’s commitment to its wounded veterans in 2024.
Dedication details draw on the City of Pico Rivera’s announcement.
Set by Our Own Crew
The monument was cut, etched, and finished in our Chino factory, then delivered on our truck and set by our crew, who anchored it into the plaza stone ahead of the dedication. The city’s staff were in it with us from the first drawings to the day the crane set the panel.
Most of what we make honors one person. This one stands for every Pico Rivera resident wounded or killed in combat, in the middle of town, where the medal and the seals will outlast everyone who worked on it. We’re grateful the city trusted us to build it.
Considering a Civic Memorial?
If you’re honoring a department, a school, or a community milestone, we’ll help you design and craft a monument that lasts. Stop by our Chino factory or reach out and we’ll talk through what’s possible.