Bill Barber Memorial Park's true name is Colonel Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park. This playground is massive!
Colonel William E. Barber died in April 2002 not far from the park which bears his name. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery having served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.
Colonel Barber received the Medal of Honor from President Truman for his bravery in Korea when he led "his troops to defend a key pass near the Chosin Reservoir during one of the epic battles of the Korean War, despite being wounded in the leg by machine-gun fire." I included more key details about Colonel Barber's life at the end of this post.
Stars & stripes abound at this patriotic park which features a "Don't Tread on Me" rattlesnake path.
Directions to Bill Barber Memorial Park: Off Harvard Avenue near the Irvine Civic Center (Park Address: 4 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine). Parking lot behind Civic Center or I like to park off San Juan. MAP TO BILL BARBER MEMORIAL PARK IN IRVINE
I love this photo with the memorial and flag looking over the park. These bench swings now have a blue shade cover over them. See below!
Recommended by: Nicole with added comments from Matt C. (see italics)
Highlights:
- "Don't Tread on Me" rattlesnake path running between upper and lower section of one of the play areas - great to run the kids ragged on or run toddler bikes down
- For the little ones: situate yourself in the central circular planter area then there's shade under the oak tree and a place to watch two of the three play areas at once for the smaller kids. Kids like to make a lake out of the water at the sink/faucet for some good clean (well, dirty) fun.
- For bigger kids (5+): series of walkways connected by bridges make it perfect for "tag" or "hide 'n seek"
- Also a good park for kites, planes, frisbees, giant bubbles - there's a large baseball field close to the play areas for major running around and lots of space to fly kites or remote-controlled planes/helicopters
- The size of this park makes it stand out - huge grassy areas, ball fields, very large picnic gazebos, and a huge play areas
- Love the garden area with the frog fountain - surrounding by bougainvillea on trellises with roses, citrus, and native plants
- It's somewhat accessible with ramps to get rolling up and along the equipment
- Shade covers over swings and other play elements
Be Aware:
- Some kids will find it hard to resist getting wet in the sink/faucet on the smaller play area
- Some parks are perfect for just sitting and watching the kids play. I'd say this is suited for more active supervision. Mine wanted to be on opposite sides of the park at all times. Until you become comfortable with the park layout and play equipment, it might be challenging to bring multiple "little" kids or kids with differing abilities. [See highlight above on where to situate yourself for optimum supervision]
- This is an active park with sports practices and games, so it can get busy on weekends at the park, but the playground is really big so rarely feels overrun.
Checklist:
- If you want to make this a Play Trip, check out my post on Things to Do Near Mess Hall Market in Tustin
- Dedicated parking lot off Harvard and San Juan. Another lot at Civic Center, but a bit of a walk to the play area
- Recycled rubber and sand play surface
- You can reserve the picnic shelters scattered around the park. 2 are very near the playground and there are more that are distant.
- Huge restroom near play area with tons of stalls, but smaller bathroom near the ball fields is slightly nicer
- Plenty of drinking fountains
- Play area is somewhat sunken - so it can be hot - but picnic gazebos, shade covers, and garden provide shade relief
- Awesome picnic park
- Official City of Irvine website page with info about facility reservations
- Nearest public library: University Park Library
And this tire swing has a shade cover now, too!
Nearby parks:
Originally posted July 2008.
There's a USMC plaque dedicated to him on Veteran's Day 2008 at what is now Morehead State University in Kentucky. It reads: "A native of nearby Morgan County, Capt. Barber received our nation's highest decoration for bravery for heroically leading his Marine rifle company in a desperate five-day defense of a frozen mountain pass vital to the 1st Marine Division's breakout to the sea in December 1950 in the Chosin Reservoir campaign of the Korean War. Fighting in sub-zero weather against overwhelming odds, he was wounded on the first night of action, but refused evacuation and remained in action in command of his company. He was presented the Medal of Honor by President Truman at the White House on August 20, 1952.
A World War II veteran and former paramarine, Barber earned the Silver Star Medal and his first of two Purple Hearts as a second lieutenant at Iwo Jima, where he disregarded his own wounds and direct fire to rescue two wounded Marines from enemy territory. He also received the Legion of Merit for his service in Vietnam.
Barber enrolled at what is now Morehead State University after graduating from high school but interrupted his studies to enlist in the Marines in 1940. He returned to MSU while on active duty and earned a bachelor's degree in 1964. He retired from the Marine Corps in 1970 at the rank of colonel. He died in 2002 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery."
His Arlington National Cemetery headstone reads "COL".
