The record
A section in the peace garden at Reagan's own college, marking the commencement speech he gave there in 1982 on the fiftieth anniversary of his graduation.
A worn slab of concrete and rebar stands in the Reagan Peace Garden at Eureka College, with a bronze bust of Reagan by Lonnie Stewart on a pedestal carrying lines from the speech — among them “Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with conflict by peaceful means”. Reagan graduated from Eureka in 1932 and returned on 9 May 1982, the fiftieth anniversary of his graduation, to give a commencement address proposing arms reduction talks with the Soviet Union. The garden dates the argument to that speech rather than to 1987 or 1989, which is a distinctly institutional piece of framing.
How did it get here?
The garden was given by the former board chairman David Vaughan and his wife Anne Vaughan in 2000, and dedicated by Reagan's daughter Maureen.
Sources & verification
Visit Reagan's Campus — The Ronald W. Reagan Society of Eureka College ↗
The college's own account: the peace garden with a bust and an authentic section of the Berlin Wall, commemorating the 1982 commencement address.
Source accessed 2026-09-17
A portion of the Berlin Wall is at Reagan's alma mater in Illinois — NPR Illinois ↗
The Vaughan donation in 2000, the dedication by Maureen Reagan, the sculptor, and the quoted line.
Source accessed 2026-09-17
Federal Foundation — Berlin Wall worldwide ↗
The source lists this place as a Berlin Wall location. Coordinates, where supplied, are source-reported and may represent a general area. This is not independent verification of authenticity, current presence, or public access.
Source accessed 2026-09-17 · Source record 180
Last verified: Not yet verified
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