Confederate Memorial of the Wind
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2016}}
{{Infobox monument
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| image = File:Confederate Memorial of the Wind, Orange, Texas.jpg
| caption = Confederate Memorial of the Wind in 2015
| location = Orange, Texas
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| begin = 2013
| complete =
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| dedicated_to = Confederate States of America,
Texas regiments of the Confederate Army
| map_name = Texas
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| coordinates = {{coord|30|07|13.54|N|93|47|09.88|W|display=inline}}
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The Confederate Memorial of the Wind is a nearly completed memorial to the Confederate States of America and the Texas regiments of the Confederate Army. It began construction on private land in 2013 in Orange, Texas, near the Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan area.
The memorial is on private land adjacent to Interstate 10 on Martin Luther King Jr Drive. It has 13 columns arranged in a circle, one for each Confederate state. It will display 32 flags representing U.S. Civil War units from Texas, along with eight large Confederate flags visible from the highway.{{cite news |url = http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/06/24/america-s-newest-confederate-memorial.html |title = The Texans Building a Confederate Monument Right Now |first = Randy R. |last = Potts |date = June 24, 2015 |work = The Daily Beast |access-date = August 12, 2016 }} The project is sponsored by the Texas Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.{{cite news |last1 = Baddour |first1 = Dylan |title = 150 Years After Fall, Confederate Memories Linger in Texas |url = http://www.chron.com/news/article/150-years-after-fall-Confederate-memories-linger-6187647.php |access-date = August 12, 2016 |work = Houston Chronicle |date = April 9, 2015 }}
Proponents, led by Granvel Block,{{cite news |last1 = Savage |first1 = John |title = Where the Confederacy Is Rising Again |url = http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/08/texas-confederacy-rising-again-214159 |access-date = August 12, 2016 |work = Politico |date = August 10, 2016 }} say the project will honor Civil War veterans and educate visitors on history, and say that the location was chosen for low cost.{{cite news |first = John Nova |last = Lomax |url = http://www.texasmonthly.com/the-daily-post/coming-soon-a-large-confederate-memorial-on-i-10-just-inside-the-texas-state-line/ |title = Coming Soon: A Large Confederate Memorial on I-10, Just Inside the Texas State Line |date = April 7, 2015 |work = Texas Monthly |access-date = August 12, 2016 }} Opponents have condemned the memorial because of its connection to an effort to maintain slavery, and because they say its location is provocative, on Martin Luther King Jr Drive.{{cite news |first = Kriston |last = Capps |date = June 19, 2015 |url = http://www.citylab.com/crime/2015/06/texas-built-a-confederate-memorial-on-a-street-named-for-martin-luther-king-jr/396344/ |title = Texas Just Built a Confederate Memorial on MLK Drive |work = CityLab |access-date = August 12, 2016 }} The Beaumont Enterprise reported that the monument faced wide opposition from local residents and city council, which had no legal tools to stop construction.Jesse J. Holland, "Deadly rally accelerates removal of Confederate statues, including S.A.'s memorial," MySanAntonio,http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Deadly-rally-accelerates-removal-of-Confederate-11819879.php The city approved the plan on free speech grounds.{{cite news |first = Mike |last = Tolson |date = June 22, 2015 |url = http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Once-a-Confederate-state-Texas-relationship-6343014.php |title = Once a Confederate State, Texas' Relationship with the Past Is Complex |work = Houston Chronicle |access-date = August 12, 2016 }}
Donations are solicited in exchange for memorial plaques and paving bricks.{{cite news |date = April 5, 2015 |url = http://tpr.org/post/confederate-memorial-wind-almost-ready-east-texas#stream/0 |title = 'Confederate Memorial of the Wind' Almost Ready in East Texas |agency = Associated Press |publisher = Texas Public Radio |access-date = August 12, 2016 }} No date is set for its completion, which depends on funding. The original budget was $50,000.{{cite news |first = Manuella |last = Libardi |date = April 6, 2015 |url = http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/Orange-Confederate-monument-will-include-32-rebel-6178127.php |title = Orange Confederate Monument Will Include 32 Rebel Flags |work = Beaumont Enterprise |access-date = August 12, 2016 }} By 2015, the site had already received enough visitors to cause parking congestion in the neighborhood.{{cite news |first = Dawn |last = Burleigh |date = July 20, 2015 |url = http://www.orangeleader.com/2015/07/20/parking-restricted-near-confederate-park/ |title = Parking Restricted near Confederate Park |work = Orange Leader |access-date = August 12, 2016 }}
The incomplete project has been the subject of protests seeking to change its plans.(11 November 2018). [https://www.12newsnow.com/article/news/local/man-caught-on-video-berating-cursing-couple-protesting-confederate-monument-in-orange-saturday/502-613524336 Man caught on video berating, cursing couple protesting Confederate monument in Orange Saturday], 12 News Now