Wrangell Mariners Memorial

Wrangell's heritage is interwoven with the ocean and the Stikine River. The community's rich history includes commercial fishing, the timber industry, tug boats, and river commerce, and it continues today with water-based recreation activities. With such a connection to the ocean, the community remembers many family members and friends lost at sea. Sitting on the shore of Heritage Harbor, the Wrangell Mariner's Memorial is a place of contemplation, reflection, and celebration of the community's past and its people lost at sea. We worked with the community to plan this memorial and develop a design to achieve their need for a special place. The names of these family and friends are placed on a series of curved plate steel walls, reminiscent of a ship's hull. A central lighthouse pavilion acts as a shelter and focal point within the plaza. The symbolism in the space includes references to the Alaska Native, Russian, fishing, timber, and tugboat heritage that the community is built on. Our work also had a small waterfront promenade to link the memorial to an adjacent park. This place is a significant project for us, knowing that the memorial is a focal point of the community and the location for the annual blessing of the fleet.

Location: Wrangell

Client: City and Borough of Wrangell

Components: Master Planning, Memorial Design, Site Design, Public Engagement