The Dogwood Vietnam Memorial was conceived late in 1965 after news arrived of the first Vietnam War casualty from this area. A project of the Charlottesville Dogwood Festival, Inc., it consists of a plaza with a plaque and flagpole and was dedicated on 20 April 1966. It is believed to be the nation’s first public Vietnam veteran’s memorial. The site honors all who served the United States during that war, especially those from Charlottesville and Albemarle County who gave their lives. Known as “the hill that heals,” it was renovated and expanded in 2014–2015.