Veteran’s Memorial Park

Veteran’s Memorial Park is an urban oasis surrounded by the sprawl of the City of Emporia. The large open lawn area attracts butterflies, such as clouded sulphurs, which utilize the area to bask in the warm sun. A long, paved trail meanders along the Meherrin River and provides access to a wooded riparian corridor consisting of American elm, river birch, eastern sycamore and American hackberry. The understory is comprised mainly of shrubby vegetation, almost completely overrun with Japanese honeysuckle. This dense layer provides refuge for numerous birds like Carolina chickadee, dark-eyed junco and yellow-rumped warbler. The river is shallow and slow moving, but may hold waterfowl any time of year.