The Sister City Peace Garden in Shawnee, Oklahoma, was constructed as a token of camaraderie with Shawnee's Sister City, Nikaho, Japan. It is located near the entrance to the local airport in a somewhat usual and open space. Although the intent was noteworthy, the location did not seem suitable for a Japanese garden, especially the plantings.
On first examination, I was disappointed. The garden seemed to suffer from serious neglect, but also, seemed to be a victim of major acts of vandalism. It was difficult to get any pictures that showed the garden in a positive light. Then, I encountered a jogger passing by who informed me that the garden suffered a direct hit from a tornado in April - mystery of the supposed vandalism revealed. Very sad for the community.
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| storm mangled bench |
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| blown over stone marker |
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| bent over flag poles |
However, there were still signs of maintenance needs that preceded the tornado. Perhaps they will find the resources to restore the garden someday. I know that once restored, I would be glad to return and see the garden the way it was originally meant to be seen.
