Lakeway Heritage Center archivist Mike Boston can speak for hours about area veterans.

Aa a part time employee at the Lakeway Heritage Center, Boston helps preserve, store and display historical items pertaining to Lakeway. He is also retired from a career in the Navy. Because of this, his name, along with many others, is on a prominent city landmark—The Spirit of Freedom monument in Heritage Park.

Boston said the monument contains about 1,200 names and counting. In 2018 the monument will collect 17 more names of Lakeway residents who have served in any branch of the military during a time of war.

This year’s additions served during the Korean War, World War II, the Vietnam War and the war in Afghanistan.

“This is in tribute to those who served during times of armed conflict,’” Boston said, adding that includes the global war on terror that has taken place since 2001.

Boston said sometimes people will question why names of people who were in the military but never saw combat are included on the monument.

“You don’t have any control over where you go,” Boston said.
The Spirit of Freedom monument’s history officially begins on July 17, 1995, when the Lakeway City Council approved a request by Lakeway Historical Society President Byron Varner to construct a military monument.

Citizens gave $50,000 in private donations to pay for the original structure at the center of the display. It honored 485 Lakeway residents who served during World War II, and was dedicated on Sept. 2, 1995, the 50th anniversary of the end of that war. Its unveiling was on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 1995.

Since then, wall monuments have been added honoring local veterans from the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War and the global war on terror.

Boston is able to mention more prominent people, including famed American astronaut Alan Shepard. But his perspective does not let him dwell on criteria dictating which name is more important than any other.

“I think every name that’s up on there is an important name,” he said.