Atchison’s Forest of Friendship plans 50th anniversary repairs, fundraising

Atchison’s Forest of Friendship is heading toward its 50th anniversary in 2026 with a repair bill and a fundraising push tied to one of the city’s most visible landmarks. The memorial’s waterfall and pond, which honor founder Joe Carrigan, need $15,000 in work, and organizers are trying to raise $8,000 to help cover a new liner, replacement stones, new parts and landscaping.

The need lands at a moment when the Forest still does what it was built to do. Established in 1976, the living memorial honors more than 1,500 people connected to aviation and aerospace, including Amelia Earhart and Charles Lindbergh. Trees from all 50 states and more than 35 countries line the site, with plaques marking each tree in tribute to the person or idea it represents.

For Atchison, the Forest is more than a scenic stop near Warnock Lake. It is a piece of civic identity, a place where the city’s aviation heritage, public art and tourism all meet in one hillside setting. A life-size bronze statue of Amelia Earhart overlooks the memorial, and the site remains free to view and always accessible, with a viewing deck that gives visitors a look over the grounds.

Kansas tourism describes the Forest as a bicentennial project created by the City of Atchison and The Ninety-Nines, the international organization of women pilots. It also notes that new honorees are inducted each June, a reminder that the memorial remains active rather than frozen in the past. Walkways embedded with plaques wind through the trees, and the site’s aviation connections continue to draw visitors interested in Earhart’s hometown legacy.

The anniversary repairs matter now because the Forest’s condition will shape how it looks and functions as the 2026 milestone arrives. If the fundraising falls short, the pond and waterfall could remain in need of attention just as more visitors are likely to take notice. For a city that leans on the Forest as both a local gathering place and a tourism draw, keeping the memorial in good repair is part of preserving one of Atchison’s most recognizable symbols.