A “visually stunning” memorial wall of monuments is under development — but not quite ready for unveiling at the upcoming Lycoming County Memorial Day ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park.

Black granite monuments on pedestals of concrete will depict elements of wars prior to World War I in a six-monument memorial wall conceived by the Veterans Memorial Park Commission.

While it won’t be set for unveiling for the annual Memorial Day service, the veterans group putting the project together is eager to tell of the progress.

They said they are shooting for completion by Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

“It’s our biggest project to date,” said Howard Wilt, 88, a Korean War veteran, Marine and chairman of the commission that takes care of the park at West Fourth Street and Wahoo Drive.

“We wanted to have it done in time for Memorial Day, but we are not quite there yet,” said John Markley, secretary of the commission and a retired Army command sergeant major who served in Iraq.

It is going to feature monuments in special tribute to the American Revolution (1775-83); War of 1812 (1812-15); United Indian War (1817-98); Mexican War (1846-48); Civil War (1861-65) and the Spanish-American War (1898-1902), Markley said.

“I don’t think we’ve undertaken anything of this size,” said Charles Stutzman, vice chairman of the commission and a Marine and Vietnam veteran who also was a paramedic in the naval reserves in Desert Storm.

On either side of the monument wall will be two wings to embrace visitors. The memorials will be fronted by a pathway of gray pavers, which will serve as a project fundraiser. The bricks will be sold, engraved and set in front of the wall, which will be on the northside of the park, with viewers looking toward West Fourth Street.

The wall will join other monuments in tribute to World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and a monument labeled “Global Conflicts for Peace and Freedom.” A tank is parked at the site in tribute to all military service personnel.

Wilt, Markley and Stutzman recently walked the grass path where the monuments will be located and showed architectural renderings.

“It’s the biggest task the commission has taken on since the park started to host these monuments,” Wilt said, indicating sticks in the ground that mark where the monuments will go.

The city Streets and Parks Department, also known as public works, will do the digging and preparation work, he said.

“If we could get someone to help with the footers, that would be awesome,” Markley said.

When done, the memorial will elevate 5 feet from the blacktop to the top of the hill, Markley said.

The pathway will be concrete, with alternating gray bricks. The bricks, larger and smaller sizes, can be purchased from the group. The small are 4 inches by 8 inches and the large are 12 inches by 12 inches.

The bricks have engraved names on the front and will be positioned in between the monuments and each monument, made from black granite, will sit on a pedestal or base.

Each monument has a special marking on it, such as the colonial Minuteman with a rifle at the ready.

Design of the wall, contributing organizations and other details will be forthcoming, the men said.

Bricks that are sold as part of the fundraiser for the wall can be purchased by contacting the commission and making checks payable to the Lycoming County Veterans Memorial Park. Checks and donations can be brought to City Hall’s finance department office or the public works building, 1500 W. Third St.