Memorial Groves: A Memorial for All Time
Memorial Groves marks the next chapter in the Park’s impressive transformation. Located on a narrow stretch of land between the Union Pacific rail line and West Memorial Loop Drive, this site was chosen for its rich concentration of archaeological remnants from Camp Logan, the World War I training camp on which Memorial Park now sits. Many, if not most, Houstonians do not know the history behind Memorial Park—nor how it came by its name. Memorial Groves will be the heart of this story within the Park.
The Camp Logan remnants provide a powerful opportunity for visitors to connect with the past. Foundations of latrines, shower facilities, drainage systems, and other infrastructure still exist here, offering a glimpse into the Camp’s story and a fitting location for a reflective experience.
Visitors will be immersed in a grid of bald cypress trees—symbolizing soldiers standing in formation, forming long, cathedral-like spaces that evoke the scale of the war effort and the 70,000 soldiers who trained at Camp Logan. These spaces will include seating, interpretive signage, and artistic elements that evoke the legacy of WWI and the stories of those who once walked this ground.
This new 100-acre project will feature pathways to guide visitors through a narrative journey from discovery to remembrance; a spacious pavilion for community gatherings; designated areas for picnicking, fitness, and recreation; a children’s playground; a network of trails; and a visitors center that will also house Memorial Park Conservancy staff offices.
Donor support will provide the essential funding for construction, critical ongoing maintenance, and ecological restoration efforts.
The Rooted & Resilient Campaign is about creating a sustainable future for Memorial Park. In one of the nation’s most diverse cities, the Park serves as a vital common ground where all Houstonians can connect with nature and each other. Together, we can build on our remarkable past to create a future full of promise. We invite you to help us ensure that Memorial Park remains a resilient greenspace that will live beyond us all.
Memorial Groves will honor the thousands of soldiers and support staff who served at Camp Logan during WWI. Through the poetic re-imagining of 100 acres along West Memorial Loop Drive, this space honors and pays respect to this rich legacy. The project is also a long-term investment in our beloved Park, adding a visitors center, historical exhibits, recreational amenities, and additional parking for everyday Park users.
We feel privileged to be at the forefront of this remarkable project. Many of our daily Park visitors may not be aware of Memorial Park’s rich history. We hope that’s exactly what Memorial Groves will accomplish: to tell the story of Memorial Park, how it came to be, and why it’s crucial to preserve and protect into its second century.
— Chris Ballard President & CEO
MEMORIAL GROVES AT A GLANCE
A powerful tribute to Houston’s World War I history, Memorial Groves brings to life the original vision of Memorial Park as a place of remembrance, reflection, and recreation.
When completed, Memorial Groves will be a unique, engaging, and interactive memorial landscape that connects visitors to the diverse, complex and untold history of Camp Logan, the role of Houston in WWI, and the lives and sacrifices of the soldiers who trained there. This is why the Park is fittingly named Memorial Park.
Located on 100 acres along West Memorial Loop Drive, the Groves feature a planted grid of more than 2,000 bald cypress trees interspersed within the mature, existing tree canopy.
New amenities include a visitors center with Conservancy staff offices, a playground with a large adjacent pavilion, a realigned and improved Seymour Lieberman Trail, scenic trails for walkers and cyclists, open lawns for picnicking, fitness and leisure, and two public parking lots.
Visitors will be immersed in a diverse native landscape, with trails designed to highlight the region’s natural ecology.
Interpretive signage and exhibits will share the powerful stories of Camp Logan and the daily lives of the soldiers, including those of the 24th and 370th Infantry Regiments, and the support staff.
Construction is anticipated to begin in 2026, with completion targeted for 2027.
IT’S IN OUR NATURE. IS IT IN YOURS, TOO?
Your support is essential to making Memorial Groves a reality. Contributions will help fund construction, provide for ongoing care and maintenance, and create welcoming spaces for gathering, learning, and reflection. This transformative project also includes critical conservation and ecological restoration efforts that will benefit generations to come.
With a variety of special naming opportunities available, every gift—large or small—will deepen the impact of this important place for all Houstonians.
In the event that funding goals are fulfilled, any additional funds received may be allocated to Memorial Park Conservancy’s General Endowment Fund to ensure the long-term care and sustained stewardship of Memorial Park.
Holli Clements, Vice President of Engagement hclements@memorialparkconservancy.org
832.799.0642
7575 North Picnic Lane, Houston, TX 77007