Memorial Day 2011

The Benjamin Franklin Firefighter Memorial

It took ten years of fundraising to pay for it, but this past week on May 7th, 2011, the Benjamin Franklin firefighter Memorial was officially unveiled in front of the Scranton firehouse.

Hungry Hill Iroquois Chief

The Indian Chief statue at the Hungry Hill monument is a mystery.  The monument recognizes revolutionary soldiers that were clearing a road for Sullivan's army to march against the Iroquois nations that had sided with the English in the war.  The spot marks the grave of a revolutionary soldier.  The small statue is free-standing and appears to have been left as an unofficial part of the monument.  Some individual may have felt the Iroquois also need to be remembered when remembering  General John Sullivan and his army.  George Washington gave General Sullivan the order to carry out the scorched earth campaign against the Iroquois, and the surviving Iroquois gave him the nickname  "Town Destroyer".

Battleship Maine Memorial in Nay Aug Park

I have walked past the Battleship Maine Memorial in Nay Aug Park many times, always finding it a bit odd to see it there because it does not fit with any particular theme on the grounds of the park or the Everhart Museum.   It is visually striking and quite interesting with the ten inch shell on top flanked by fish, and the porthole cover on one side.  Why is it here?  A Google search took me to the Centennial Website of the Spanish American War, and it turns out that recovered artifacts from the sunken battleship have been disseminated to towns, cities and organizations all across the country.  Thinking about it, this does seem to be a remarkably effective way to share and keep alive the memory of the lost battleship and her crew.

Phillip H. Sheridan Monument Mystery

This monument to General Phillip H. Sheridan at the Lackawanna County Courthouse Square is a puzzle to me.  What connection might General Sheridan have with Scranton?  I don't think he ever lived here or had family from the area, and I don't know that he ever even passed through.  An internet search of numerous historical sites did not provide me with an answer.

Joseph Fellows Memorial

The Joseph Fellows Memorial is located in the Hyde Park borough of West Scranton.  

Lincoln Memorial, Scranton Version

Scranton has its own version of a Lincoln Memorial in Nay Aug Park.  O.K., so it kinda pales in comparison to the one in Washington, D.C.  But after all, isn't having a small and modest memorial more consistent with being the president featured on the penny?