Neillsville Memorial Home in Neillsville, WI

Pros

• It is a wonderful tribute to veterans.
• The memorials honor all troops across wars and eras.
• The Iraq and Afghanistan memorial inspires pride in fellow soldiers.
• The Fountain of Tears memorial is a cherished favorite.
• The Highground offers a very moving and peaceful experience for visitors.
• The park is unique, beautiful, and a healing space for veterans.
• It is among the best veterans memorials people have seen.
• The grounds are beautifully kept and accessible to all.
• The site is inspiring, solemn, and deeply respectful.
• Tours provide meaningful insight into each memorial and honor those who served.
• It features a stunning setting with impressive statues and serene views.
• It is a place of remembrance that feels timeless and never forgets the fallen.

Cons

• It's loud.
• A very somber place to pay respects for our veterans.

Review

This site is best suited for veterans, their families, and travelers who want a dignified, healing encounter with American military history rather than a traditional assisted-living option. The Highground Veterans Memorial Park near Neillsville is a 155-acre, volunteer-driven tribute that combines a serene landscape with a broad collection of memorials and a growing museum. It is designed for reflection, education, and connection - whether someone is honoring a relative, accompanying a veteran on a quiet trip, or seeking a meaningful stop on a road itinerary. The ringing of the bell, the thoughtfully laid paths, and the overall atmosphere make it clear this is a place for solemn remembrance and personal connection rather than daily living or care services.

The strongest attractions are the depth and quality of remembrance on display and the setting itself. The park honors multiple conflicts with well-conceived monuments, a consistently well-kept landscape, and ample seating for contemplation. Visitors repeatedly highlight the sense of peace, the emotional pull of the memorials, and the impression left by the ongoing care put into grounds and displays. The addition of a museum and the option of a guided tour - often led by a knowledgeable veteran - deepens understanding and makes the visit more than just a stroll through sculptures. The experience is intimate, respecting both the fallen and those who served, and the setting encourages reflection rather than distraction.

Yet the site is not a living-community option. The reviews show a facility powered by volunteers and donations, not a government-run residential care provider with scheduled programming or healthcare services. There are no meals, no daily nursing oversight, and no guaranteed daily activities linked to senior living. Some visitors note variability in events - there may be days with no planned programming - emphasizing that this is a place for public remembrance and individual reflection rather than a structured elder-care environment. The freedom of access is real, but it is a different kind of experience than what families typically seek when evaluating assisted living or memory-care options.

The positives offset these limits in meaningful ways. For families prioritizing emotional resonance, educational value, and a serene setting, the park offers enduring benefits that far surpass the lack of care services. The grounds' beauty, the accessible design with ramps and benches, and the sense that the space is cared for by volunteers create an environment where visitors can pause, grieve, and honor without distraction. The free admission helps families with budget considerations, while the gift shop and evolving museum offer tangible ways to remember and learn. The combination of ceremony, scenery, and sense of community dedication gives this site a powerful, long-lasting impact.

This visitor profile makes clear who should consider this option and who should look elsewhere. Veterans and their families, or anyone seeking a solemn place to educate children or honor loved ones, will derive real value. Those needing ongoing housing, medical oversight, or daily social programming should look to actual senior living communities or memory-care facilities in the region. Alternatives exist within the broader senior-care landscape for daily living needs, but they do not replicate the unique, tribute-driven experience offered here. For a meaningful, contemplative encounter with military history and a place to pause from the hustle of daily life, this site stands apart.

In practical terms, plan a visit with reasonable expectations: set aside 30 minutes to an hour for a meaningful walk, consider participating in or observing a bell ceremony if available, and allow time to explore the museum as it expands. The environment rewards slow, reflective pacing, and the combination of landscape beauty and respectful memorials delivers a strong sense of gratitude and connection. The site's volunteer-driven stewardship, its accessibility, and its powerful memorials make it an outstanding choice for a meaningful family moment or a veteran-focused educational stop - while clearly signaling that it is not a substitute for the care and daily routine provided by an assisted living community.

Hospitals

• Memorial Medical Center (0 miles)

Places of Worship

• Calvary Lutheran Church (0.1 miles)
• Wels (0.2 miles)
• St John's Evangelical Lutheran Church Wels (0.2 miles)
• General Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists (0.5 miles)
• Assembly of God Church (0.6 miles)
• Hillside Community Church (0.6 miles)
• Jehovah's Witnesses (1 miles)

Transportation

• Abby Vans (0.2 miles)
• U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer (0.8 miles)
• Badgerland Taxidermy (2.4 miles)
• U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer (2.6 miles)
• Neillsville Municipal Airport (VIQ) (4.5 miles)
• Neillsville Taxi Cab (4.7 miles)
• Stoiber Plumbing (18.4 miles)

Restaurants

• Green Lantern Tavern (0.5 miles)
• A&W Restaurant (0.6 miles)
• Schmitty's On Main (0.6 miles)
• Drippy Creek Saloon II (0.6 miles)
• Donna's Cozy Kitchen (0.6 miles)
• Subway (0.6 miles)
• King House Chinese Restaurant (0.6 miles)

Parks

• Neillsville Recreation Department (0.6 miles)
• Cliff's Park (0.8 miles)
• The Highground (2.9 miles)
• Snyder County Park (5.7 miles)
• Greenwood Park (15.5 miles)
• Greenwood County Park (15.5 miles)
• North Mead Lake County Park (18 miles)

Pharmacies

• Sniteman Pharmacy (0.6 miles)

Cafes

• The Thirsty Bookworm (0.6 miles)
• Kow Kickin' Cafe (14.7 miles)
• Wilemans Cafe (20 miles)

Physicians

• Marshfield Clinic Greenwood Center (14 miles)
• Memorial Medical Center (14 miles)