The next statue to be unveiled and dedicated along the Lynn Stuart Pathway at College Station’s Veterans Park & Athletic Complex will be the Mexican War Memorial. The ceremony, hosted by the Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial board, will begin at 5:30pm on Wednesday, Sept. 13.
Those in attendance will have the opportunity to learn more about the Mexican War Memorial and its significance, hear a keynote address given by Gen. Michael W. Hagee, retired 33rd Commandant of the US Marine Corps and president of the Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial, and hear performances by Brazos Brass.
The Mexican-American War played a critical role in defining the border between the two nations that remains in place today.
In 1847, knowing that the capture of the Palacio Nacional would greatly disrupt the Mexican army, General Winfield Scott ordered his forces, including United States Marines, to seize the enemy fortress during the Battle of Chapultepec.
On Sept. 13, 1847, after two days of battle, the Marines gained control of Chapultepec Castle, better known as “Halls of Montezuma,” and raised the American flag over the palace to mark their victory. Upon returning home, these Marines presented this flag to the Commandant of the Marine Corps. The victory at the Halls of Montezuma remains a part of the Marine Corps tradition, immortalized in te opening line of the Marines’ Hymn.
About the Sculptor Payne Lara is the sculptor of the Mexican War statue that will be unveiled. Born in Brenham and raised in Navasota, Lara grew up in a family of cowboys. Lara’s Texas heritage serves as an important source of inspiration for his art. He has sculpted all of the statues on display along the Lynn Stuart Pathway at the Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial. His art has been featured in a variety of publications and television programs, and continues to earn him recognition today.
