For many years, an honor roll board at the Lodi Historical Building displayed the names of veterans of World War II. Many people had questioned the absence of acknowledgment of veterans of other conflicts.

In response, trustee Fred Hallett organized a campaign to build a permanent memorial, with landscaping and benches. Located on the front lawn, there are three granite blocks where names of local veterans will be listed. The first block, listing WWII veterans, was engraved in 2004. The memorial was dedicated in a well-attended ceremony, including a number of dignitaries, on November 11, 2004. A second marker was recently engraved with the names of veterans of U.S. military endeavors in other places.