Siba student and U.S. Army veteran Tad Evans devoted his time over the summer term to a project honoring service members at Jefferson Barracks.
Used as a cemetery for Jefferson Barracks since its establishment in 1826, the location gained it’s designation as a national cemetery in 1866. It grew rapidly after the Civil War as thousands of Union soldiers were laid to rest there along the banks of the Mississippi River. Today, the cemetery stretches across more than 310 acres, features a number of historically significant monuments, as well as notable interments—including eight recipients of the Medal of Honor.
In the project for his Technical Illustration class, Tad created a re-imagined map of the National Cemetery on the grounds of the historic site. His purposes for mapping this particular site was to honor those laid to rest there, as well as to highlight landmarks, “[My instructor] suggested the location because he was aware of my military service and the deep appreciation I carry for those who served and are still serving. He knew that I’d be drawn to the challenge of sharing the history associated with Jefferson Barracks and really do the task justice.”
Tad was inspired by models of the White House in his approach to the project. Combining a 3-dimensional model he built of Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery with illustrations, he was able to create a cohesive and visually exciting version of the cemetery’s map.
The project wasn’t without logistical and technical challenges: “I learned a whole heck of a lot, that’s for sure! The amount of research that goes into laying out how to actually sculpt the terrain and make it accurate, photographing the finished model using different lighting methods, and communicating with others to gain different perspectives and input on how to tackle challenges along the way was quite consuming. Overall, I’d say that this class really gave me a chance to go off of the beaten path and experiment with different methods of approaching a complex problem.”
Having overcome hurdles in design, Tad has created a map he is proud of, and one that he hopes can serve the historic site that inspired it. He has plans to present the map to leadership at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.
For our part here at Siba, we’re very excited with the work Tad has completed!
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