History of Plaza

In 1997, County Commissioner Ronald D. Rankin began his vision to create a lasting memorial to honor the service and sacrifice of Kootenai County veterans. He wanted also to remind those who came to the then new administration building and century-old courthouse of the price of the freedoms we enjoy in America. The black marble “Killed in Action” monument lists hometown heroes from the Spanish American War through Vietnam who gave their last full measure on the battlefield. The laser-etched marble murals on the north wall depict epic battles of the United States military from WWI through Iraq. The Hall of Heroes, inside the foyer, honors local Purple Heart and Medal of Valor recipients, including Congressional Medal of Honor recipients Gregory "Pappy" Boyington and Vernon Baker.


Serving on the Board of Commissioners from 1997 through January 2002, Rankin was named curator of the Veterans Memorial Plaza in 2004, donating his time to the position. He was most proud of the fact that the nearly $80,000 used to create the memorials all came from private donors, with no public money used.

Rankin was a combat veteran of WWII and Korea, serving with the United States Marines. A survivor of the historic battle in the Chosin Reservoir in Korea, Rankin was a member of the Chosin Few, the Marine Corps League and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

At the time of his death on October 12, 2004, he was in the process of adding a laser-etched marble mural to the wall. His family took up the cause, raising the remaining funds needed and on Memorial Day 2005, the Iraq mural was unveiled, dedicated in memory of SPC Robert T. Benson, the only Kootenai County causality of the Iraq War at that time.

Commissioners Gus Johnson, Rick Currie and Katie Brodie voted to rename the memorial to honor Rankin’s contributions. On May 30, 2005 the Ronald D. Rankin Veterans Memorial Plaza was officially dedicated in a ceremony attended by several hundred people. The Rankin family donated the eagle statue and pedestal to the citizens of Kootenai County. Since that time the Ronald D. Rankin Veterans Memorial Plaza has provided a place to remember the sacrifice of so many throughout our nation’s history, for generations to come.

Kerri Rankin Thoreson now serves as the appointed volunteer curator of the plaza. Her late father is buried at historic Forest Cemetery near the Civil War statue, just two blocks north of the Kootenai County Courthouse in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. He is survived by his widow, Alice; children Lynne Rankin, Kerri Rankin Thoreson, Janna Rankin Scharf, R. Reeder Rankin, II and Ronna Rankin Park, nineteen grandchildren and six great grandchildren.