Freedom Rock Explained

The Freedom Rock (also known as the Patriotic Rock) is a 12adj=midNaNadj=mid boulder located along Iowa Highway 25 at 2301-2319 120th Street[1] — in Adair County and southwest of Menlo in western Iowa approximately 1miles south of exit 86 (Iowa 25 – Guthrie Center, Greenfield) on Interstate 80. The boulder weighs approximately 56ST.[2] [3]

The rock is located on private property and was used for graffiti. Since 1999, however, it is repainted every year in time for Memorial Day with the purpose of thanking U.S. veterans and their families for their military service and sacrifice.[4] [5] The rock is painted by Ray "Bubba" Sorensen II from Greenfield.[6] [7] Sorensen is not commissioned or paid to paint The Freedom Rock, he uses his own money along with donations and sales of Freedom Rock merchandise to fund the project.[8] After watching Saving Private Ryan as a 19 year old at Iowa State University in 1999, Bubba was moved and painted the first Freedom Rock before Memorial Day with the words "THANK YOU VETERANS FOR OUR FREEDOM" over a painting of the six Marines raising the United States flag atop Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima.[3] [9] [10]

In the Spring of 2013, Sorensen began The Iowa Freedom Rock Tour by painting a Freedom Rock (patriotic themed rock) in every county in Iowa at a cost of [11] US$5,000 plus lodging & supplies per rock, creating a unique statewide veterans memorial for the state. The rocks placed in each county will not be repainted every year.[12] [13] He expected to take ten years to complete the painting of a freedom rock in each of Iowa's 99 counties, but in a 2016 update interview during only his fourth year of his Iowa tour, he expects to complete the Iowa tour in seven or eight years and has only ten more counties in Iowa to book.[6] [7] As he completes the last four years of his Iowa tour, he will begin a nationwide 50 state tour.[6] [7] He plans to paint some freedom rocks of the 50 state tour in warmer places than Iowa during December, January, and February, starting with Alabama in the winter of 2016–7.[7] On October 27, 2016, the Greene County's Freedom Rock which is located in front of the grain elevator in Jefferson became the 55th rock he has painted in Iowa.[14] On November 11, 2018, a Freedom Rock was unveiled at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery near Van Meter, Iowa.[15] In 2021 on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 attacks in 2001, he painted portraits on the first Freedom Rock, which is located near Menlo, honoring Oscar Austin, Pat Tillman, and others.[16] On September 18, 2021, he completed The Iowa Freedom Rock Tour with the unveiling of his 99th Freedom Rock in Iowa which is located at the Central City Fairgrounds in Linn County, Iowa.[9] [17] [18] [19] His 100th Freedom Rock will be auctioned off with community bids accepted until November 1 and the announcement of the community purchasing the 100th Freedom Rock will be on November 11, Veterans Day, 2021.[19]

As of June 1, 2021, he has painted Freedom Rocks in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Washington.[16] As of September 27, 2021, he had painted additional Freedom Rocks in both Nebraska and North Dakota for a total of six states with Freedom Rocks.[19]

In June 2022, after Sorensen had painted a Freedom Rock in all 99 counties of Iowa,[20] he painted the 100th Freedom Rock in Altoona, Iowa, at Adventureland near the Adventureland Inn which is his last Freedom Rock during his Iowa Freedom Rock Tour.[4] [5] [21] [22]

For the 25th anniversary Freedom Rock in 2023, Sorensen celebrated Medal of Honor recipients by painting images of WWI veteran USA Corporal Freddie Stowers, WWII veteran USN Commander Samuel D. Dealey, Korean War veteran USA Private First Class Jack Glennon Hanson, Vietnam veterans USAF pararescueman Staff Sergeant William H. Pitsenbarger and USMC Lance Corporal Miguel Keith and Afghanistan veteran and Navy Seal First Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy.[1]

External links

41.4749°N -94.4522°W

Notes and References

  1. News: Iowa artist celebrates Medal of Honor recipients in Freedom Rock's 25th year . . May 26, 2023 . May 26, 2023 . May 26, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230526171210/https://www.kcci.com/article/greenfield-iowa-freedom-rock-25th-annual-painting/44005189.
  2. News: The rock that moves people. Anderson. Sylvia. July 5, 2009. St. Joseph News-Press. December 16, 2009. Saint Joseph, Missouri.
  3. News: Mikkelson . David . The Freedom Rock in Iowa: Do photographs show a rock painted with patriotic scenes alongside an Iowa highway? . . October 7, 2002 . September 29, 2021 . May 26, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230526195606/https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-freedom-rock/.
  4. News: Mollenbeck . Andrew . Iowa artist putting the final touches on the final Freedom Rock . . June 30, 2022 . May 26, 2023 . May 26, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230526171555/https://www.kcci.com/article/iowa-artist-putting-the-final-touches-on-the-final-freedom-rock-bubba-sorensen-adventureland-inn/40464415.
  5. Web site: The Freedom Rock & Freedom Rock Tour. Artist: Ray "Bubba" Sorensen II. Thanking our Veterans, one painting at a time. . Freedom Rock (www.thefreedomrock.com) website . May 26, 2023 . May 26, 2023 . May 26, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230526190857/https://www.thefreedomrock.com/.
  6. Web site: Artist Bubba Sorensen Finishing Statewide Freedom Rock Tour at Astonishing Pace . . Perry, Iowa . February 24, 2016 . February 24, 2016 . May 26, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230526194328/https://www.raccoonvalleyradio.com/2016/02/24/artist-bubba-sorensen-finishing-statewide-freedom-rock-tour-at-astonishing-pace/.
  7. Web site: Zupkoff . Andrew . Let’s Talk Guthrie County 2/24/16 — Freedom Rock Tour Update . . podcast . February 24, 2016 . February 27, 2016 . May 26, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230526200520/https://www.raccoonvalleyradio.com/2016/02/24/lets-talk-guthrie-county-22416-freedom-rock-tour-update/.
  8. News: Artist Turns Iowa Graffiti Rock into Military Tribute. Banusiewicz. John D.. November 17, 2003. American Forces Press Service. February 24, 2016. Washington, D.C.. September 26, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150926200917/http://archive.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=27770.
  9. Web site: James . Bob . Linn County Freedom Rock: Learn More about Linn County’s Freedom Rock . Linn County Fair website . 2021 . September 29, 2021 . May 30, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200530011115/https://thelinncountyfair.com/linn-county-freedom-rock/.
  10. [Ray Sorensen (politician)|Sorensen, Ray]
  11. Web site: Curtis. Pat. Sixteen Iowa counties now have their own "Freedom Rock". Radio Iowa. July 4, 2014. February 24, 2016. May 26, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230526200624/https://www.radioiowa.com/2014/07/04/sixteen-iowa-counties-now-have-their-own-freedom-rock/.
  12. Web site: Sorensen. Ray "Bubba". The Freedom Rock FAQs. The Freedom Rock website (www.thefreedomrock.com). February 24, 2016.
  13. News: A different sort of rock tour: Painted boulders in all 99 counties in Iowa . Munson. Kyle. November 29, 2012. The Des Moines Register. November 29, 2012. Des Moines, IA. February 20, 2013. https://archive.today/20130220023949/http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2012/11/29/a-different-sort-of-rock-tour-painted-boulders-in-all-99-counties-in-iowa/article?fb_action_ids=10151113988646930&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_ref=artsharetop&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582&nclick_check=1.
  14. News: Butler . Ben . Freedom Rock Unveiled to Eager Greene County Crowd . . . October 28, 2016 . October 28, 2016.
  15. News: WHO 13 Digital Staff . Governor Honors Iowa Veterans; New Freedom Rock Unveiled . . . November 12, 2018 . September 29, 2021 . May 26, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230526201636/https://who13.com/news/governor-honors-iowa-veterans-new-freedom-rock-unveiled/.
  16. News: Carlson . Coltrane . Freedom Rock Artist Repaints Original Rock to Reflect 20th Anniversary of 9/11 . . . June 1, 2021 . June 16, 2021 . May 26, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230526201640/https://www.raccoonvalleyradio.com/2021/06/01/freedom-rock-artist-repaints-original-rock-to-reflect-20th-anniversary-of-9-11/.
  17. News: James . Bob . Linn County Freedom Rock Arrives at Linn County Fairgrounds . . . June 19, 2019 . September 29, 2021 . September 29, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210929235133/https://khak.com/linn-county-freedom-rock-arrives-at-linn-county-fairgrounds/.
  18. News: Miskimen . Gage . After eight years, Iowa Freedom Rock Tour ends in Linn County: Ray Sorensen finishes his final county project over the weekend . . . September 20, 2021 . September 29, 2021 . September 29, 2021 . https://archive.today/20210929223126/https://www.thegazette.com/news/after-eight-years-iowa-freedom-rock-tour-ends-in-linn-county/.
  19. News: Mantz . Logan . Freedom Rock Tour Ends In Iowa . . . September 27, 2021 . September 29, 2021 . May 26, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230526202705/https://www.raccoonvalleyradio.com/2021/09/27/freedom-rock-tour-ends-in-iowa/.
  20. Web site: Freedom Rock Tour pamphlet . Travel Iowa (www.traveiowa.com): the Official Iowa Tourism and Travel website . October 21, 2021 . May 26, 2023 . May 26, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230526191446/https://www.traveliowa.com/userdocs/getinspired/TrvlIA_FreedomRockTour_10-21-21.pdf.
  21. Web site: Adventureland Resort . Adventureland (www.adventurelandresort.com) website . . May 26, 2023 . May 26, 2023 . May 26, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230526180723/https://www.adventurelandresort.com/.
  22. Web site: Adventureland Inn . Adventureland (www.adventurelandresort.com) website . . May 26, 2023 . May 26, 2023 . May 26, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230526181226/https://www.adventurelandresort.com/stay-with-us/adventureland-inn.

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