The Fort Moore Pioneer Memorial in downtown Los Angeles, California, has been rededicated following a major refurbishment. The monument, located on Fort Moore Hill, is where the Mormon Battalion built a fort in 1847.
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The refurbished monument includes bas-relief panels and an 80-foot long, 47-foot tall waterfall that had not flowed for 42 years. A large panel depicts Los Angeles’ first Independence Day flag-raising on July 4, 1847.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Sons and Daughters of the Utah Pioneers sponsored and funded a portion of the memorial, which includes a 68-foot high freestanding pylon created to give emphasis to a 73-foot high flagpole.
In 1932, May Belle Davis, a member of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, began the effort to build the memorial, which was dedicated in 1958. Her grandson, Tom Andersen, attended the rededication on July 3, exactly 61 years to the day that the memorial was dedicated.
“This is our civic monument to all pioneers – past, present and future,” said Andersen. “It is dedicated to each of us who have gone or will go into unexplored territory. This memorial will create meaningful opportunities through celebrations, events and tours for educating people about Los Angeles and California history.”
When the restoration work began several years ago, a time capsule was removed from the base of the flagpole and opened. It contained a history written by Davis and photographs of the monument’s construction and dedication. A new time capsule was installed at the rededication.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is taking the lead in planning a multicultural interfaith rededication event scheduled for November 9, 2019.